Matthew Weaver, the producer behind the Broadway hit Rock of Ages, is hoping that lightning can strike twice for him, since he’s just acquired the stage rights to the Soul Train brand. He said that he is developing a musical based on the popular show created by Don Cornelius.
Weaver said that he’s hoping the production will be as big as Rock of Ages and can attract audiences that don’t usually visit Times Square, reports The Associated Press.
“I'm nervous and I'm humbled and I'm excited,” Weaver explained. “I do think we're the right people to do it because I think it's got to have that spirit of Rock of Ages, which is part old-fashioned musical but also part party."
The Soul Train brand is owned by Soul Train Enterprises, a company chaired by Erving “Magic” Johnson. The series ran from 1970 until 2006, with Cornelius hosting through 1993. He committed suicide in 2012 and is remembered for using the show to introduce R&B artists to the nation.
If Soul Train - The Musical happens, it could be the latest in a long line of successful jukebox musicals that have attracted baby boomers, notes The Hollywood Reporter. Shows like Motown, Mamma Mia! and Jersey Boys have all been hits and Beautiful: The Carole King Musical has been doing well since opening in January.
Weaver has yet to find a writer or even secure all the music rights to the tracks he hopes to use. He told the AP that his timeline is “when the story's right.”