Grammy winner Sarah McLachlan will compose a song for the upcoming musical adaptation of King Kong, according to the singer's Facebook page. Featuring music by Marius de Vries, lyrics by Michael Mitnick and a book by Craig Lucas, the musical will bow in June 2013 at the Regent Theatre in Melbourne, Australia. Directed by Daniel Kramer, the production is aiming for a Broadway run later that year.
Authorized by the estate of King Kong creator Merian C. Cooper, the new musical will feature a cast of more than 40 actors, singers, dancers and puppeteers and feature projections and state-of-the-art animatronics. This “beauty and the beast” love story between a woman and a giant ape begins in 1933 in New York City at the height of the Depression, but the new production aims to preserve the classic story while looking at it through a contemporary cultural lens.
McLachlan's many popular songs include "Sweet Surrender," "Angel," "I Will Remember You" and "Building a Mystery." She is a founding member of the Lilith Fair tour and has received three Grammys, including two for Best Female Vocal Pop Performance.
The creative team for King Kong includes Peter England (production design), Sonny Tilders (creature design), John O’Connell (choreography), Roger Kirk (costume design), Peter Mumford (lighting design), Gavin Robins (aerial/circus direction) and Frieder Weiss (projection design).
For a sneak peek at King Kong, click below!