‘Romeo and Juliet’ Musical w/ Jeff Buckley Songs to Make Theatrical Debut
Not sure why two Jeff Buckley stories have caught my eye in as many days, but perhaps these come in threes and we’ll have one tomorrow, as well. Last May, we mentioned the concert premiere of Michael Kimmel’s adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, titled The Last Goodbye, which debuted at New York City’s Joe’s Pub to sold-out crowds. The event was—and still is—perhaps most notable because Buckley’s mother, Mary Guibert, authorized the use of her late son’s music, which she has seldom done since his death in 1997.
Now Variety reports (via Flavorwire) that the NYC premiere of The Last Goodbye was such a hit that a theatrical version is being prepped for the 2010-11 stage season.
Previously described as “part rock concert, part Elizabethan verse, [and] part 21st century musical,” Kimmel’s adaptation weaves Buckley songs, such as “Lover, You Should’ve Come Over” and “Eternal Life” into Shakespeare’s famous tragedy about star-crossed lovers who… oh, I better not give away the ending.
When I saw Hamlet set to the music of Radiohead at a local college once it was pretty awful, but I could kind of picture this: William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet has been made into a musical adaptation featuring the songs of Jeff Buckley and, most importantly, “with the permission of The Estate of Jeff Buckley.” That last part is a big deal because Buckley’s mother Mary Guibert has notoriously guarded her son’s legacy very closely.
