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Stephen Sondheim answered my question.

By Gil on Friday, May 16, 2008 | 4 Comments

http://www.roundaboutchat.com/chat/chat_transcript.html

gil: What are the chances of us seeing your rumored musical version of Groundhog Day, and what drew you to Groundhog Day as a musical?

Stephen_Sondheim: Groundhog Day is, in my opinion, a first-rate movie and it lends itself so clearly to musical treatment. I'm not the first person who's thought of it. Many have. But, I feel to make a musical of Groundhog Day would be to gild the lily. It cannot be improved; it's perfect the way it is. I don't want to touch it, because it's perfect. Pretentious as that sounds.

4 Comments

m berger | May 18, 2008 5:29 AM

That's so said... I'd love to see his version.Does he mean that "perfect"-stuff? He is Stephen Sondheim - who else could touch something perfect better?I guess he is just tired of writing and is busy getting his whole work made to movies to save it...

Anonymous | May 18, 2008 11:30 AM

Aw, man! Doesn't he realize that being perfect is a non-issue? Being Sondheim makes perfect into perfect-er perfect. (aside from a few "bounce"-y exceptions) The question I really want to know? Will you EVER write another show?Please?

Steve On Broadway (SOB) | May 18, 2008 12:11 PM

For once, we have someone who acknowledges that not every film should be transformed into a stage musical. Bravo, Gil, for asking the question, but bravo also to Mr. Sondheim for recognizing when to leave well enough alone.

Gil | May 19, 2008 8:55 AM

Sondheim's sense of when a movie can be made even better as a musical (and the vice versa) is second-to-none, but that's exactly why I was so interested in finding out what made him interested in Groundhog Day. It works so perfectly as a movie, so I figured that if *Sondheim* was to adapt it, he must have had something really clever up his sleeve...

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