At the moment it was introduced that Vivek Tiwary‘s Tiwary Leisure Group (TEG+) will likely be adapting Will Eisner’s seminal graphic novel A Contract With God right into a Broadway musical.
In response to Selection, who broke the story,
“TEG+ has acquired the stage rights to Will Eisner’s graphic novel A Contract With God and is adapting it right into a Broadway musical, with new and authentic songs written by Sam Hollander, Lisa Loeb, Matisyahu, Ryan Miller and Jill Sobule.”
Will Eisner’s A Contract With God is taken into account by many as the primary graphic novel – or at the least the primary comedian brazenly marketed as one. Printed in 1978, A Contract With God And Different Tenement Tales is about in a New York tenement block of poor Jewish residents with their very own interweaving tales. Whereas fictional, the setting and tales could nicely draw on Eisner’s personal upbringing as a toddler of Jewish immigrant dad and mom within the early twentieth century. Will Eisner handed away in 2005.
All the song-writing group on the Contract with God musical are Jewish musicians, composers and songwriters, and writing and recording classes are apparently set to start quickly – nevertheless the ebook author (the one who scripts the present and would work in live performance with the tune writing group) has, reportedly, but to be secured.
The music producer main the group is Sam Hollander who’s a prolific songwriter and has a procuring checklist of collaborations which have him as author/producer on over 20 US Prime 40 Pop Hits. He had beforehand the music producer of 2012 NBC musical drama TV present Smash, and extra just lately as songwriter and music producer on NBC’s Atypical Joe.
On becoming a member of the undertaking Hollander mentioned,
“When Vivek [Tiwary] despatched me Will Eisner’s A Contract With God, I used to be immediately floored. Getting the possibility to convey this seminal graphic novel to the stage in collaboration with an iconic crew of my gifted Jewish buddies is simply the best thrill ever. It’s an incredible approach for us all to honor our heritage whereas bringing this story of the 1930’s New York immigrant battle to a brand new viewers.”
One curious member of the outfit would be the inclusion of Matisyahu, a (former-Hasidic) Jewish-American rapper, reggae singer, beatboxer and alt rock musician greatest recognized for 2005 single King With out A Crown. Previous to his involvement with A Contract With God he has not been recognized to have labored in musical theatre.
The TEG+ focuses on, in line with a Deadline article, “high-profile authentic music and premier established music catalogs, A-list musicians and composers — creating narrative leisure for all types of media and know-how together with stage, movie, TV, NFTs and extra.” It was based by producer Vivek J. Tiwary who has been part of acclaimed and award profitable productions corresponding to Jagged Little Capsule (primarily based on Alanis Morissette’s album of the identical title). Tiwary was additionally the author of 2013 graphic novel The Fifth Beatle: The Brian Epstein Story with artist Andrew Robinson and cartoonist Kyle Baker. The Fifth Beatle is being tailored to TV with Tiwary as author and govt producer.
Tiwary, on bringing A Contract With God to the Broadway stage,
“For me, A Contract With God was a formative floor zero for all my inventive work. I by no means met Will Eisner, and nonetheless he is likely one of the nice mentors of my life. Like Will, I used to be born in New York Metropolis, a toddler of immigrants who grew up surrounded by immigrant goals, each lovely and irritating. A Contract with God helped me perceive each New York Metropolis and myself. I’m thrilled to now work alongside this group of top-notch inspiring Jewish musicians to convey a stage manufacturing of A Contract with God to each followers of the graphic novel and to encourage new audiences.”
Different graphic novels and comics tailored from web page to stage embody 1977’s Annie (primarily based on the 1924 Little Orphan Annie sketch by Harold Grey) and, extra just lately, Alison Bechdel‘s Enjoyable House, which had its off-Broadway debut in 2013 earlier than making the Broadway leap in 2015 to a lot acclaim and a number of Tony Award nominations and wins, together with Greatest Musical, Greatest Unique Rating, Greatest E-book, and Greatest Route.
