Camp
Senior HTF Member
- Joined
- Dec 3, 1999
- Messages
- 2,301
Will Bryant reports:
This week's Entertainment Weekly reports that New York writer/producer Josh Frank is working on a musical based on the life of Frank Black. Frank has reportedly discussed the project with former Pixies Joey Santiago, David Lovering, and Black himself, who was initially quite amused at the prospect until he realized that Frank, who most recently assisted on a production of the Janis Joplin-inspired musical Love, Janis, was serious.
The musical, entitled "Teenager of the Year," would follow the entire career trajectory of the Pixies and include songs both from that period and from Black's solo career. The article does not mention any involvement from Pixies bassist Kim Deal (even though it would kill to see Lili Taylor portray the younger Mrs. John Murphy).
Josh Frank describes "Teenager of the Year" as "sort of a beat poem to the 80's [and] how alternative rock crashed the mainstream party." The project follows extremely successful musicals based on the output of ABBA ("Mamma Mia") and Culture Club ("Taboo"), but is apparently the first full-blown musical biography to take on a legend of alternative rock. Frank hopes to open the show next spring Off Broadway. And you thought you were so cool, singing along to Surfer Rosa with the windows down as you jammed down the freeway, when the whole time you were belting out showtunes!
How oddly cool would that be?
