On of the most anticipated New York theater pieces this fall is the opening of Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead.
"Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead’ is an "unauthorized parody" that follows the Peanuts gang – all grown up. Set approximately ten years after the events in the fifty-year-running comic strip, ‘Dog Sees God’ begins with Snoopy’s death, and things for the introspective "CB" go downhill from there. Still trying to understand life’s darker meanings, still plagued with his endless identity crisis, CB talks to his gang of friends to find answers to his many questions. Of course, this gives us the chance to laugh at seeing what became of these well-loved and recognizable characters.
Clearly, producers are trying to mirror the success of "Avenue Q," where the characters are modeled after the former-happy-go-lucky creatures of ”Sesame Street.”
It’s a perfect formula to appeal to the media obsession and ironic tendencies of the younger generation. Take some old time childhood comfort and throw in some modern edge.
Was this the same formula that was used to update everyone’s favorite childhood movie, "The Wizard of Oz," into Wicked?
"Wicked," which has won 10 Tony nominations, finds good and evil reversed. Glinda the Good is a ruthless alpha girl, embodied by Kristin Chenoweth as the queen of spiteful, popularity-obsessed perk. Her nemesis, Elphaba (Idina Menzel), the Wicked Witch of the West, is an idealistic do-gooder and social pariah with a scary green complexion, who is fanatically intent on liberating Oz’s caged animals.
Of course, Broadway isn’t as predictable as most Hollywood movies. There are other ways of capturing nostalgia without destroying our memories of childhood classics. How about reliving the favorite songs of our past in a musical with no plot? Let’s see, there have been musicals based on the music of Billy Joel, the Beatles, the Beach Boys, Queen, Abba – am I missing anyone?
Today, I sat down and decided to develop a Broadway hit. What if I could create a show that combines the characters of a childhood favorite (using a edgy gimmick) with a lively musical that features the hit songs of a popular singing group? And I found it!
Broadway’s next hit — Alvin and the Chipmunks! What other cartoon characters also have a #1 Billboard album? Sit back and watch as Alvin, Simon, and Theodore, now middle-aged, deal with divorce, tummy tucks, and Alvin’s pornography addiction (with plenty of their old songs to rock the house!)
(All right you Chipmunks)
(Ready to sing your song)
(I’ll say we are)
(Yeah)
(Let’s sing it now)
(Okay, Simon)
(Okay)
(Okay, Theodore)
(Okay)
(Okay, Alvin, Alvin, ALVIN, Where’s ALVIN?)
(He’s online downloading photos of MILFs again!)
(ALVIN!)
Starring the Bee Gees
LOL!!! NOOOO! Not Alvin and the Chipmunks! Say it ain’t sooo! They belong in their past, with their innocence in tact! 😉
3T
I love it, Neil. Bee Gees, that’s funny too 🙂
“I Used to Wear an A, But Now I’m Doing H”?
“Simon’s Fugue: Comin’ Out”?
“Fat’s Not So Funny When You Hit Fourteen”?
At least they won’t be singing falsetto anymore.
Ha, ha, ha………
Please tell me when this hits the stage. I’m so there. 😉
I’m holding out for the Jem and the Holograms musical. And in the spirit of replacing true broadway actors with celebrities, I’d like to see Ashlee Simpson as Jem and Lindsay Lohan as lead singer of the Misfits.
I LOVE The Peanuts Gang! I wrote a whole dang post about them 🙂 So of course that is going to be my favorite childhood show de jour…
Even though I’m out of the picture, I’ll still read your hilarious entries about musical theater.
Hahaha!! ALvin Simon Theodore. doo doo doo doo.. Ok sorry. I used to love them. Unfortunately they botched Josie and the Pussycats or would have suggested them. I think the idea is hilarious.. oh my..
I would love to hear the explanation for why they all still live at home!
As I was reading your post, I am literally watching Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet the WolfMan.
It just never gets old.
🙂
Ugh.
Simon should be played by Bob Sagat. I don’t know why, but I feel very strongly about this. And he should be on parole for domestic violence against Jeanette.
I thought the BeeGees actually were the chipmunks all grown up….
On another note, the novel Wicked is a brilliant book by Gregory Maguire that questions morality and the question of perceived good v. evil and if you haven’t read it, you should.
You’re too late. Tarantino is already developing a Chipmunks vehicle that revolves around a failed bank robbery in London. Apparently, there’s going to be more blood in this than in Kill Bill Vol 1.
I personally loved when they’d whip out the Christmas carols. Alvin was the hot one of the group…figures he’d get into porn.
What about the Smurfs? Didn’t they sing too?
A whole Broadway show of blue people making music…oh, that must be the basis of Blue Man Group. (CB type sigh)
Neil ~ We’ve got to figure out a way for you to get paid for this blog! Thanks for my daily laugh. 🙂
And for some reason, the chipmunks remind me of Christmas.
I’ve also heard good things about the book Wicked. Not sure about the musical, though.
I’m going to see a Broadway musical on Thursday called Jersey Boys, which is about Frankie Valli and the 4 seasons. I know, I’m so lame, but my dad would have loved it, AND it has Jersey in the title!
Modligi~
Alvin and the Chipmunks had their very own Christmas album (maybe more then one) featuring the song “All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth.” Although I don’t think it made the billboard charts… 😉 And of course assorted Christmas specials.
3T
I really think you’re onto something here. And if your producers are smart, they’ll pass out little helium tanks (or helium balloons) with the programs, so that when the Chipmunks sing their big finale, the entire audience can inhale and sing along (in the proper register). Now, there’s hit insurance…
Josie and the Pussycats!
Guitars, and beers for hats
Stepkids, and housing tracts
Josie and the Pussycaaaats
haha…memories! I have that Chipmunks album on LP. Good times, good times! LOL!
I saw an off-Broadway production of “Dog Sees God” last fall. It was good, read my review.
http://nichellenewsletter.typepad.com/newsletter/2004/09/one_of_us.html