Nashville to Become a Broadway Musical — But There’s a Twist
The ballad of Rayna and Deacon may soon play the Great White Way.
Lionsgate and Broadway producer Scott Delman are developing Nashville as a live musical, our sister site Deadline reports. But before you dig out your Red Lips/White Lies tour t-shirt and book a flight to New York City, Nashies, there’s an important detail you should know.
Per Deadline’s report, the live stage adaptation will have an all-new musical score. That means that songs like “No One Will Ever Love You,” “Telescope,” “Buried Under” or “We Are Water” — all of which debuted on the ABC-to-CMT drama — likely won’t be a part of the Broadway version.
Delman’s Broadway credits include Mean Girls, Fun Home, Book of Mormon and Hello, Dolly! No word yet on casting or production dates, nor who else will be on the show’s creative team.
If the Nashville musical were to pull from the TV series’ cast, there are plenty of Broadway-minded folk who would fit the bill. Charles Esten, who played Deacon Claybourne for all six seasons of the country-music drama, also played the lead role of Buddy Holly in the West End production of Buddy and in the show’s American tour. Will Chase, who played Rayna’s rebuffed fiancé Luke Wheeler is known for his turns in Rent, Aida, Billy Elliot: The Musical and Something Rotten; he’s currently starring in Kiss Me Kate, which opens March 14. Laura Benanti, who recurred on Nashville as singer/songwriter Sadie, has starred in Gypsy and She Loves Me, among others, and now plays Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady. Kyle Dean Massey, who recurred as Will’s first boyfriend Kevin, has appeared in Next to Normal, Wicked and Pippin.
Would you be interested in seeing a Broadway adaptation of Nashville? Hit the comments and let us know!
What? None of the music from the show? Surely there’s not really any point to this then …. the franchise IS the great music
This is literally what I came here to say.
I’d be ok if they use the original concept of the show, and script a new story.
If its about Rayna and Deacon!!! I’m in!!!
No “Fade Into You” or “If I Didn’t Know Better”?!? That’s a shame
What really needs to go from TV to Broadway is either of the musicals featured on Smash, Bombshell and Hit List. They would both be amazing and deserve to be real Broadway musicals.
No “Life thats good”?! “Dont put dirt on my grave just yet”?! Still…… I’m interested. I miss Avery and Deacon
Music aside… are they killing off Rayna?? If so I’m not going!
I would be thrilled to see a Broadway version of the late great Nashville! (But not as much the last season). But they would need to get rights to the amazing music from the tv show, at least part of it. And I would love if some of the cast appeared on Broadway in it, especially Connie Britton(but she’s too busy to commit, probably), Charles Esten, Jonathan Jackson, Chris Carmack and Sam Palladio. And Hayden and Claire Bowen. And the Stella girls
Yes!!!
Rayna had better live in this version.
If they hire the same songwriters, maybe
Will ABSOLUTELY go to NYC to see Nashville on Broadway. Especially if they have some of the same people as the TV series. Would also like some of the songs included.