Tony nominees Stephanie J. Block, Will Swenson and Rory O'Malley are currently warming hearts and splitting sides in James Lapine and William Finn's musical adaptation of the hit film Little Miss Sunshine. The peculiar-little-movie-that-could has been transformed into an enjoyable and unconventional tuner (opening November 14 at off-Broadway's Second Stage Theatre), so Broadway.com asked readers which other quirky indie film should become a musical. The results are in, and stories about love, friendship and nostalgia topped readers’ wish list. Check out the results below!
1. The Perks of Being a Wallflower—33%
The 2012 movie, based on the best-selling novel by Stephen Chbosky, is a coming-of-age story about 15-year-old Charlie, a shy bookworm, who's nervous about beginning his freshman year of high school. On the first day, he connects only with his English teacher, but he is soon befriended by two seniors, Sam (Emma Watson) and her stepbrother Patrick (Ezra Miller). The endlessly quotable Perks ("We accept the love we think we deserve;" "Right now we are alive and in this moment I swear we are infinite;" "You see things and you understand. You're a wallflower") about the unforgettable friends that help us through life would make a stunning musical.
2. (500) Days of Summer—23%
(500) Days of Summer is a wry rom-com about a man who falls head over heels for a woman who doesn't believe in love. Tom (Joesph Gordon-Levitt) believes deeply in the idea of soul mates, and he's finally found his! Unfortunately for Tom, Summer (Zooey Deschanel) sees true love as the stuff of fairy tales. Undaunted and undeterred by his breezy lover's casual stance on relationships, Tom summons all of his might and courage to pursue Summer and convince her that their love is real. The right charming leading man and lovely ingenue could make a musical based on (500) truly come alive and make us fall in love.
3. Juno—16%
When a teenage girl is faced with an unexpected pregnancy, she enlists the aid of her best friend in finding the unborn child a suitable home in this coming-of-age comedy drama. Juno (Ellen Page) may seem wise beyond her years, but after sleeping with classmate Bleeker (Michael Cera), the pregnant teen quickly realizes how little she really knows about life. With a little help from her BFF, Juno soon comes into contact with an affluent suburban couple who have been unable to conceive a child of their own. An after-special-subject told in a touching and hilarious way—Juno the Musical has showstopper written all over it!