Rocketman Musical makes waves and Elton John turns 76
Today Elton John celebrated his 76th birthday, and fans and colleagues from all over the world took to social media to wish him a happy birthday and honor his contributions to the world of music and entertainment.
And in related news, Rocketman, the biographical musical based on the life of legendary musician Elton John, has been making waves in the world of theatre since its announcement. The musical, which features a book by Lee Hall and music by John, was in development for several years before its premiere on London’s West End in 2019. The show has been praised for its stunning visuals, powerful performances, and its portrayal of the ups and downs of John’s life and career.
According to The Sun, the project has Tony, Oscar and Grammy Award-winning musician Elton John on board to provide his impressive back catalogue of hits. His colleague and Tony winner Lee Hall is set to write the book for the musical.
Tom Hardy has been cast to play Elton in the biopic movie Rocketman, and the stage adaptations for both Broadway and the West End will follow. Old Vic Theatre Chief Executive Sally Greene has confirmed that there are big plans in store for John’s biography, though there has been no official press release on dates or casting information for Rocketman the Musical yet.
Elton John has a strong history with Broadway, having won a Tony Award in 2000 for Best Original Musical Score for Aida. He also earned Tony nominations in the same category for Disney’s The Lion King in 1998 and Billy Elliot in 2009. In addition, he provided the music for short-lived Vampire musical Lestat and was a producer for the 2010 Tony-nominated play Next Fall.
John’s impressive list of accolades includes an Academy Award and Golden Globe in 1995 for Best Original Song for ‘Can You Feel The Love Tonight?’ in the Disney animated classic The Lion King. ‘Circle of Life’ also earned Oscar and Golden Globe nominations, and ‘Hakuna Matata’ received an Oscar nomination. More recently, he picked up Golden Globe nominations for Best Original Song for ‘Hello Hello’ in 2012 (from Gnomeo & Juliet) and for ‘The Heart Of Every Girl’ in 2004 (from Mona Lisa Smile).
With a back catalogue of hits including ‘I’m Still Standing,’ ‘Young Song’, ‘Border Song,’ ‘Crocodile Rock,’ ‘Bennie and the Jets’, ‘Sacrifice,’ and ‘Candle in the Wind,’ amongst many others, Elton John’s involvement in Rocketman the Musical is sure to draw a lot of attention from theatre audiences. The biopic movie has already generated buzz, and the stage musical adaptation is likely to follow suit.
