• Can movie musicals thrive? 

The lines between Broadway and Hollywood are blurring once again, ushering in what could be a renaissance for movie musicals. 

With the massive success of ‘Wicked’ – the legendary stage musical turned blockbuster film – audiences are witnessing the dawn of a new era in which Broadway’s theatrical magic seamlessly translates to the silver screen. This resurgence highlights the enduring appeal of musicals and Hollywood’s recognition of the commercial and cultural potential of adapting Broadway’s most beloved stories for wider audiences.

Broadway mastered the art of capitalising on intellectual property long before Hollywood fully tapped into its potential. In the 1990s, Disney’s stage adaptations of ‘Beauty and the Beast’ and ‘The Lion King’ laid the groundwork for the transition from screen to stage. 

The success of ‘The Producers,’ which carried Broadway’s energy to the cinema, opened the floodgates for a wave of adaptations in both directions. Iconic titles such as ‘Hairspray,’ ‘Legally Blonde,’ and ‘Mean Girls’ proved that audiences were hungry for these cross-medium experiments. 

However, with ‘Wicked,’ we are seeing something larger – a cultural milestone that signals how Broadway’s biggest hits can thrive as big screen sensations in the modern entertainment landscape.

As the industry embraces this hybrid trend, the success of ‘Wicked’ raises an exciting question: Could this be the beginning of a golden age for movie musicals born from Broadway’s most celebrated productions?

Not every Broadway adaptation has been a guaranteed success, as seen with the disastrous release of ‘Cats’ – a movie that became infamous for its strange visual effects and lackluster reception. However, not all Broadway-to-screen transitions have met the same fate. 

Take ‘Hamilton,’ for instance. While it wasn’t a traditional movie musical, it was a pre-recorded performance that allowed international audiences who might never have the chance to see it live on Broadway or the West End to experience this cultural phenomenon. The film’s release on Disney+ proved to be a gamechanger, offering a new way for global fans to connect with the show and solidifying ‘Hamilton’ as a modern classic in its own right. 

This contrast between the successes and missteps highlights the potential and challenges of adapting Broadway hits for the screen, but it also emphasises how these adaptations, when done right, can open up the world of theatre to a much broader audience.

From a Sri Lankan perspective, it’s clear that the love for musicals runs deep. Sri Lankans have long been passionate about stage performances, with musicals holding a special place in the cultural landscape. However, one glaring gap in this enthusiasm has been the absence of stage-to-movie musical adaptations. 

A trend SL is yet to capitalise on 

While the global entertainment industry has embraced this trend, Sri Lanka has yet to fully capitalise on it; that is, until recently, when ‘Sinhabahu’ made a significant move in that direction. Originally a musical stage drama, ‘Sinhabahu’ was adapted into a drama for the silver screen, marking a significant step forward in bridging the gap between Sri Lankan theatre and film.

To explore the potential of adapting traditional Sri Lankan musicals into film, Brunch spoke to local film producers about their thoughts on the matter. Many expressed a sense of excitement about the untapped potential within the country’s rich theatrical tradition, noting that adapting these beloved stage performances could offer an opportunity to reach wider audiences both at home and internationally. 

However, they also acknowledged the challenges involved in translating the theatrical experience to film, emphasising the importance of maintaining the essence of the original while adapting it to suit the medium of cinema. Despite these challenges, interest is growing and there’s a sense that this could be the beginning of a new era for Sri Lankan film, where the magic of traditional musicals finds a fresh platform on the big screen.

‘A new avenue to explore’

Alankulama Holdings Chairman and Producer Basura Siriwardana shared his insights on the potential for movie musicals in Sri Lanka, drawing from both his own experience and his family’s extensive involvement in producing blockbuster commercial cinema. 

Siriwardana noted that there was a distinct difference between musicals in the West and those in South Asia, particularly in Sri Lanka. “If you look at Bollywood, you could actually technically say that they are all musicals,” he explained. 

“They are all movie musicals, and while they are slowly deviating from this tradition of massive musical numbers and set pieces, focusing more on narrative-driven stories, there still remains a demand for that musical flair,” he added.

Drawing a parallel to Sri Lankan cinema, he continued: “Given that Lankan cinema often takes cues from Bollywood, we too tend to incorporate musical elements into our films. As such, I don’t think we have any qualms about establishing movie musicals here. However, when it comes to something on the scale of ‘Wicked,’ that’s something we don’t have just yet. I think it can definitely be a new thing we can explore.” 

Siriwardana’s perspective highlights both the cultural similarities and challenges faced in adapting traditional musicals into films, pointing to the untapped potential for Sri Lankan cinema to create its unique take on the genre.

‘A format that could resonate locally’ 

Similarly, Real Image Creations Co-Producer and Head of Marketing and PR Shevangi Sadesh Kumar also shared her thoughts on the potential of adapting stage musicals into film. 

“Adapting stage musicals into films is an exciting concept that could bring a vibrant new dimension to Sri Lankan cinema,” she said. “Stage musicals combine music, dance, and storytelling in a way that captivates audiences, and translating that magic to the big screen could create a truly immersive experience.” 

Kumar emphasised the strong cultural connection Sri Lankans had with music and dance, making this format particularly suited to local tastes. “Sri Lankans have a deep appreciation for music and dance, making this a format that could resonate strongly with local audiences,” she added. 

According to Kumar, exploring this path could be a key step towards reinventing Sri Lankan cinema and appealing to a broader, more dynamic audience.

‘A dream come true’

Brunch also spoke to theatre enthusiast Jesmin Fernando, who has always had a deep passion for musicals, about the potential for adaptations like ‘Wicked’ in Sri Lanka. 

Fernando, a self-proclaimed “theatre kid at heart,” shared her fond memories of stage musicals, explaining: “When I was in school, I really loved stage musicals, and ‘Wicked’ was one of my absolute favorites. I think I was first introduced to it through ‘Glee’. But somehow, as Asians, I think we just don’t really adapt shows like that here.”

She went on to discuss her attempts to bring ‘Wicked’ to life in a local context: “I have always pushed to adapt ‘Wicked’ for school theatre productions but with no luck. However, musicals like ‘The Sound of Music’ were done, which were great. To be seeing the movie for a beloved musical has been a dream come true.” 

For Fernando, the success of these adaptations represents a broader opportunity for Asian cinema and theatre. “I feel it could really be a flourishing genre even for Asia because it could be a thing that goes hand in hand – it could revive a once-loved musical and give it a second wind,” she said, highlighting her belief that adapting such iconic productions could breathe new life into the genre in the Asian context, including in Sri Lanka.

Importance of the right choice of musical 

Theatre enthusiast Maheesha Perera also shared her thoughts on the lack of musical adaptations in Sri Lanka. 

Reflecting on her school years, she recalled: “I think we all remember the Interschool Shakespeare Drama Competitions, but that was really the extent of English theatre exposure we had as schoolchildren, while the rest came from the internet. We had next to no musicals – sometimes the school choir would do the soundtrack from ABBA or something, but we never did musicals in that way.” 

Perera, who was involved in both the choir and the theatre club, admitted to feeling like she had missed out on the experience. “I feel like I really missed out, especially as someone who was in both the choir and the theatre club,” she said, highlighting the void in musical theatre in Sri Lanka.

Discussing the adaptation of musicals to film, Perera expressed her admiration for the concept, even with the mixed success of some productions. 

“The idea of adapting musicals to film is pure genius,” she noted. “I know ‘Cats’ was kind of a failure, but that’s because that particular musical is sort of a fever dream – it just doesn’t work in film form. It’s built for audience interaction. But if you take musicals like ‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show,’ they work great as movies.”

Perera’s perspective underscores the potential for adapting certain musicals, especially those with strong audience engagement, into successful films, suggesting that the right choice of musical could work wonders on the big screen in Sri Lanka.

The potential for adapting musicals into Sri Lankan cinema is an exciting prospect that could revitalise the genre and introduce it to a broader audience. As seen with the success of adaptations like ‘Wicked,’ there is a growing demand for musical films and Sri Lanka’s rich theatrical tradition offers a unique opportunity to explore this untapped market. 

While challenges remain, such as translating the interactive energy of stage performances to film, the enthusiasm from local producers and theatre enthusiasts alike suggests that the future of movie musicals in Sri Lanka could be a promising one, blending local culture with global trends to create something fresh and exciting.