Steven Spielberg could be directing his first…
E.T. telephone Broadway?
Oscar-winner Steven Spielberg could soon be directing a stage show — his first — right here in New York, sources told The Post.
A new musical put on by the Public Theater, the mysterious work is said to be presently being written by Jeanine Tesori and Tony Kushner.
I hope it’s “Jaws!”.
The acclaimed trio makes for a high-brow Venn diagram of collaborators.
Kushner, the celebrated “Angels in America” playwright, penned the Spielberg movies “Munich,” “Lincoln,” “West Side Story” and “The Fabelmans” — all Best Picture Oscar nominees (though just one hit).
And, combining forces with “Kimberly Akimbo” composer Tesori, Kushner wrote the guide and co-wrote the lyrics of the 2003 musical “Caroline, Or Change.” She was also the supervising vocal producer on Spielberg’s “West Side.”
Details of their new project are scant. Tesori has dealt with a sophisticated and secretive household before in Best Musical Tony winner “Fun Home.” Maybe this will be “The Fabelmans — On Ice!”.
Or “Disclosure Day!” that includes a line of tap-dancing aliens shuffling off to Jupiter.
One source said the show’s story is Christmas associated.
I collect — and if Spielberg and Kushner’s screen collabs are any indication — it’s more “Caroline” than “Saving Private Ryan.”
A spokesperson for the Public Theater had no remark.
Director Steven Spielberg could be doing his first-ever stage show in NYC. Getty Images
What is thought is that the show is supposed to be timed to outgoing Public creative director Oskar Eustis’ farewell, and would open someday in 2027-2028, his closing season.
Sixty-eight-year-old Eustis, who lately told the New York Times, “I think the American nonprofit theater movement is over,” clearly desires to greet the apocalypse with a bang.
During his 21 years in the top job, his theater’s reveals “Hamilton,” “Hell’s Kitchen,” “Here Lies Love,” “Suffs” and a lot more have made the leap to Broadway — one a lot more efficiently than the others. He used to get flack for his obvious obsession with it. Spielberg’s show also certainly would switch uptown, too.
How could they resist? This would be the extraordinarily uncommon circumstance where the director’s identify alone has the potential to promote some tickets. But you never know. When major pop stars write musicals, for instance, their involvement doesn’t always budge the box workplace. Only high quality and buzz do.
Tony Kushner is said to be writing the new musical. Variety via Getty Images
Strangely, well-known filmmakers giving the stage a go is a growing pattern.
Historically it flowed in the alternative direction: theater folks headed to Hollywood. Think playwright and director Martin McDonagh, whose Oscar hopeful “Wild Horse Nine” hits theaters this weekend. Sam Mendes, Mike Nichols, Bob Fosse and Orson Welles are others.
But it was lately announced that cinephile favourite Quentin Tarantino will also make his theater directing debut next February in London with a new swashbuckling play he’s written called “The Poppinjay Cavalier” starring Sacha Baron Cohen. Sadly, it’s not “Inglourious Bastards: A Musical Fable.”
The Public would truly make an straightforward commute for 79-year-old Spielberg. Earlier this yr, he and spouse Kate Capshaw moved from LA to Manhattan. And his Amblin Entertainment opened an workplace in New York.
Jeanine Tesori (“Kimberly Akimbo”) is composing the music. Getty Images
And there have been hints of Spielberg’s love of musicals sprinkled throughout his storied profession. Obviously, there was the movie adaptation of “West Side Story.” But nerds will also recall he also had “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” open with a Mandarin-language rendition of “Anything Goes.”
Nevertheless it’s a dangerous transfer. Spielberg is famend for his genius at transferring around a digicam. Visually, every one of his movies is a marvel. But in the theater, we’re the digicam. And we sit still until intermission. It’s a completely different talent.
But I sure look ahead to Tesori’s uptempo ballad “It’s A Dinosaur!” from “Jurassic Park the Musical.”
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