I love musicals.
I am that person who drives around blasting the Wicked soundtrack and singing the lyrics to ‘Defying Gravity’ while stopped at set of lights.
I am also convinced I missed my calling and was a musical theatre star in a past life. It’s a whole thing for me.
You know what else I like? Lot of things. Making you guess the one specific thing I’m thinking of is not only mean but impossible so I’ll tell you: I like The Devil Wears Prada. Yes, the movie.
How are musicals and The Devil Wears Prada related, you ask? They’re not. Well, they weren’t. They are now because the iconic film is officially being turned into a stage show.
The musical will be based on the novel by Lauren Weisberger and 2006 movie of the same name. Oh, and Sir Elton John is set to write the music for the show – no big deal.
This news has my inner musical theatre geek and inner movie geek at odds – are they happy at this news? Are they vehemently opposed to it? I don’t know.
See, here’s the deal. Musicals are a sacred art form – I have a lot of respect for them and they have a special place in my heart.
The Devil Wears Prada is sacred in another way – it’s iconic, hilarious and a movie I genuinely enjoy watching every time.
Combining my love for musicals and The Devil Wears Prada would be like combining my love for Nutella and Vegemite – it feels wrong and would just be gross.
There’s a part of me that feels a sense of terror at the thought of a Devil Wears Prada musical – why would you ruin a good thing like that????
This^ is the emotional part of my brain talking. If I take a step back from my emotions, however, Irealise a musical wouldn’t ruin anything: the movie doesn’t stop being iconic and I won’t love it any less just because it’s been reimagined in a more musical way.
In the years to come, when I watch the movie, I won’t think of the musical – I won’t suddenly hate the characters or the storyline. They’re two completely different pieces of art and my brain will therefore respond to them differently.
The Devil Wears Prada is based on the happenings at Vogue but it didn’t ruin Vogue. So the musical won’t ruin the movie.
Making the musical is also a kind of genius publicity move. Fans of the book and the movie will flock to see the show – who needs marketing when you have that kind of popularity?
Also, I would pay good money to see Miranda Priestly as a drag queen. So there’s that.