Madonna movie to become London musical
Theatre producers announced Tuesday plans for a London musical version of pop queen Madonna`s 1985 film "Desperately Seeking Susan" that will feature hit songs by punk rock band Blondie.
Debbie Harry, who is now 63 years old, has also written a new song, "Moment of Truth", for the production that will open in London`s West End theatre district in October, producers said.
"It`s going to be all Blondie songs," said Mark Rubinstein, one of the musical`s producers.
"It sets the world before Madonna, when there was Debbie Harry and Blondie. She`s from that world and that time. `Moment of Truth` is different," Rubinstein said.
The musical will also feature old Blondie hits such as "Heart of Glass", "Atomic", "One Way or Another", "Dreaming", and "The Tide is High".
Emma Williams, 24, who will assume the role of Susan played by Madonna in what was her first major film, said her character "will be a cross between Madonna and Debbie Harry."
Kelly Price, who recently appeared in the West End production of Guys and Dolls, will play Roberta Glass, the bored suburban New Jersey housewife who becomes fascinated with Susan. Rosanna Arquette had the film role 22 years ago.
Susan Gallin, the originating producer, said: "It will be very close to the movie.
"The story is universal. It`s a quirky, off-beat movie about women who change their lives and end up with the lives that they were meant to have.
Harry, whose new song is "based on an R and B idea," said: "The story just works with the lyrics. I thought it was a good idea, really smart. I would love it to come to Broadway. Hopefully it will be a huge success."
She expected the musical to be "more light-hearted" than the film.
Gallin added: "We would like to have Madonna (who has a home in London) come to see the opening night. It was her break-out movie. She was wonderful in it. Interesting, quirky and fabulous."
The production -- rights for which were bought from MGM -- will open at London`s Novello Theatre on October 12.
The musical is written and conceived by US writer, director and actor Peter Michael Marino, whose other writing projects include "Hollywood Nurses", an homage to lesbian pulp novels of the 1950s.
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