With “Kinky Boots” taking the Tony Award for Best Score over “Matilda”, and Sting’s new “The Last Ship” heading to Broadway this season, more pop music stars seem to be trying their luck on Broadway. Elton John has comfortably written for musical theatre, while the Tupac inspired “Holler If Ya Hear Me” didn’t seem to work as well with the typical theater-going audience. Who do you think should be showing their musical theatre writing skills, and which pop stars should stay away? Here are a few possibilities:
Taylor Swift
It’s easy to imagine exactly what a Taylor Swift musical would sound like, and her music tends to have quite a bit of storytelling in it. She would definitely have a hit with the teen fans between her writing skills and her chart-topping hits.
Sara Bareilles
This is already rumored to be happening, and there couldn’t be a better fit! Sara’s music is extremely theatrical (tip for anyone looking for pop songs to add to their book). She’s writing the score for a musical adaptation of the movie “Waitress.” With the right show and role, Sara is one pop star that can carry a show — and we can’t wait to see her acting abilities.
Ed Sheeran
Ed writes a lot of his own music, and would have a totally different sound than most of the other musical theatre we would expect to hear out of a pop star, and the result could be really interesting.
Eminem
Could a rap musical work? Eminem is one rapper whose musical would definitely create a lot of buzz. An urban musical would give the opportunity for different artists to show off their special skills they bring to the table.
Katy Perry
Everything about Katy is theatrical, and spectacle is a huge part of her performance aesthetic.
With the right funding and production team signing onto a show, you never know who might end up popping up on the next Broadway marquee. Some of these pop musicals come and go quickly, like Jimmy Buffett’s “Don’t Stop the Carnival”, while “Kinky Boots” may end up being a musical that people are studying for years to come.
