How Much Would You Wager That There's a Song With the Word "Wagon" In the Title?

People.  The Little House on the Prairie Musical lives and breathes.  It lives and breathes, my friends!  It has now opened at the Guthrie in Minneapolis (in/near which I believe SEVERAL of you reside {looking around pointedly}).  If it does well, it could be coming to Broadway in the next year.  It stars Melissa Gilbert as Ma and a bunch of other unknown people as everyone else (sadly, it appears that Patrick Swayze must have had to abandon the Pa role in favor of cancer treatments), and Rachel Portman did the score so I would think the music would be pretty good, or at least wouldn't make your ears bleed. 

Someone.  Anyone!  Please, PLEASE go see it and report back.  I need to know how it is.  I DO.  It has the potential to go in any number of directions, so it could be campy and awesomely awful or it could be heart-swellingly wholesome and nostalgic.  Either way, it's hard to imagine that it wouldn't be worth the price of admission.  (And I'm not a musical person at all -- but this is different; this is LITTLE HOUSE.  I am sure I would have a similar reaction if they made Breyer Horses: The Musical or Space Camp: The Musical.  Or You Were a Huge Geek and a Social Outcast: The Musical.)

I suspect that there will be no clown-masked rapists or heroin addicts in this adaptation, but I could be wrong.  I have NO recollection of either of those episodes, by the by, and I am so glad you all could enlighten me on what I missed.  I mean, REALLY?  What the EFF, Little House?  Either I blocked those episodes out, or by then I had thrown up my hands because they'd strayed so far from the books that I couldn't take it anymore.

Notably, as Stefanie pointed out, the TV series had the Ingalls living in Walnut Grove, which is not right for that period of their lives and anyway, when they lived in Walnut Grove they lived in a DUGOUT (although Walnut Grove has capitalized on the show's inaccuracy and now has a Laura Ingalls Wilder PAGEANT every year, which I will one day see, because I MUST -- come to think of it, there is totally a documentary here, OMG imagine the awesomeness).  However, we can all breathe a sigh of relief because the musical situates them in De Smet, where they belong.  Perhaps now I will stop waking up screaming in the night.

So.  I think that's about enough excitement for one day, don't you? 

The only other news I've got is that the other day, I saw a man shaving on the subway.  Yes, shaving.  Just raking a cheap plastic disposable razor over his face (no shaving cream or anything, not even a hot towel or some lotion), for all to see.  That was a first for me.  I've seen people clipping their nails (finger and toe, unfortunately) more times than I can count, but shaving was a new one.

You've got to love this city.  People find new ways to be crazy every day. 

Comments

[Kimberly]

I would LOVE to see this-- bring on the cheesiness!! Maybe a little road trip (with Allison, of course) is in order before you and I trek off to the other side of the world for a Very Important Reason?? How fun would that be? I also want to go (someday) to the Betsy-Tacy houses in Mankato-- another LHOTP fave spot.

I recently read an article about the musical and Melissa Gilbert was quoted as saying that she had a little bit if trouble at first adjusting to being Ma. She kept turning to respond every time someone said "Laura" or "Half-Pint". Old habits die hard, I guess.

[metalia]

AHHHH! If/when it comes to Broadway, can we go see it together? Because if your husband is anything like mine, he will run shrieking from the room if I even suggest that we go see it. :)

[-R-]

My friend got tickets to take his 5-year-old daughter to see the musical. I will let you know how he likes it.

Have I told you that there is a large Hmong population in Walnut Grove now, in part because they watched Little House on the Prairie and decided to move there? It's true, I swear!

[Daryl]

You'll have to make it down to the Walnut Grove pageant next year. I play the mayor, I'll get you good seats.

[Stefanie]

Rest assure, I will be going. I'm just waiting for the Guthrie to send me one of the handy half-price ticket notices that they typically send me at least once during the run of each show. I want to see Melissa Gilbert as Ma, but I'd like to do it for half price, thank you very much. I'll be sure to report back!

[Carolyn]

I was just reading along until you mentioned Melissa Gilbert. That is a whole other story! Melissa Gilbert! I want to see it so bad.
On another topic, I too was sad about Will on SYTYCD. I'm hoping not to lose another favorite this week.

[Christine]

Uh, you mentioned documentary, but holy hell I would so watch a mockumentary of the people at the Laura Ingalls Wilder Pageant and Little House, the Musical. Indeed, if someone out there reads this and decides to do just that, I totally want a little shoutout in the credits.

[Daryl]

Wouldn't be much to document, I'm afraid. Or mockument. Basically community theater with local actors and a good story. Ours is actually based on the time they were in Walnut Grove, we try to stay as close to the truth as possible.

[Daryl]

Just as a followup, I read in the StarTrib that they ARE thinking of taking it to Broadway! You may get your wish after all.

[Kasey E]

I noticed your add to this post about the lady who went to see the Musical and how Melissa Gilbert and the cast signed autographs for them... I just wanted to share that I just got to see the Musical on Mother's Day here in Houston, TX, and I have to say it was wonderful! It included many of the tv show's highlights. Many of the actors/actresses did awesome impersonations of the characters from the tv show. Every time Melissa Gilbert spoke as Ma, I heard Karen Grassle! And the girls who played Laura, Mary, and Nellie were great! The only downside was that we did NOT get Melissa's autograph. We had hoped to, but afterwards when we asked, we were told that Melissa had not and will not be signing any autographs. As we were leaving, we noticed the crowd by the stage door and stopped to see if we could find out anything. There was a guy yelling at everyone to move on because Melissa was not going to be coming out this way any time soon. So that was disappointing. But as for the musical itself, I highly recommend it.