Adaptations through media can be hard to pull off. There are some people that love the Harry Potter series of books, but hate the movie franchise because many significant details were lost in translation, from print to film. The same issue is common with theater and film. The musicals made based on a movie have been hit or miss. While 42nd Street and the Lion King received critical acclaim, Legally Blonde tanked. Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown is seen to be grouped with the latter. With a star-studded cast with the likes of Patti LuPone, Sherie Rene Scott, and Laura Benanti, Women on the Verge revolves around women and the men who pursue them, involving themes of the search or loss of love and rejection. The show has not been received with much success, but with acknowledgment for its potential. I haven’t seen this production, but based on the preview, I am not sure if feminists would appreciate the show. It looks like Sex and the City gone awry, with an emphasis on sex, because of a constant tearing of costume to show off a bra. I don’t think women really rip their clothes off when they have a nervous breakdown.
One thing I found interesting is that Justin Guarini, made famous in the first season of American Idol, plays one of the leading men. I am happy for his success, but it makes me wonder on the question of education and training versus being scouted for talent. Are all contestants on reality TV competitions really that talented? Is it to those who invest time and money in schooling for their craft? Fame is a mysterious concept.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLOzK8rNnQU
