More Toxic Avenger related news has hit the trade paper, Variety. Casting is currently underway for our fall premiere at George Street Playhouse.
"It's tough to decide what's the biggest geek-chic surprise about "The Toxic Avenger," a new tuner based on the 1985 B-movie about the slimy superhero with the toxic-waste origin.
First of all, the cheeky New Jersey-set tale will preem this fall at the Garden State's own George Street Playhouse -- with a score by David Bryan, one of the founding members of Jersey band Bon Jovi.
Possibly even better? The production set up a booth at the New York Comic Con in April.
That might be topped, however, by the fact that this musical version of "Toxic"-- with book by Joe DiPietro ("I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change," the upcoming "Nice Work if You Can Get It") and featuring songs titles like "Hot Toxic Love" -- is the third tuner version of the movie to hit the boards.
That's right, the third.
First there was "Toxic Avenger: The Musical," staged in Omaha, Neb., in 2004. Then came "Toxic Avenger: The Musikill" in Portland, Ore., in 2006.
"It's such a cult classic," DiPietro says of the story's appeal to stage creatives.
This incarnation of Lloyd Kaufman's Troma Entertainment pic was suggested by Jean Cheever, who co-produced Broadway tuner "All Shook Up," for which DiPietro wrote the book.
"Toxic," which aims to broaden the Avenger's appeal from his core stoner demo, bows in New Brunswick Sept. 30, with a cast of five under the direction of John Rando("Urinetown"). A New York move seems a likely bet if the show works.
"Like the Tromaville movies, the idea is to make it low-budget and fun," DiPietro says. "It's a quintessential Off Broadway show."
