Christina Aguilera Is Bringing ‘Burlesque’ To The Stage
Another camp classic that underperformed at the box office will find another life on stage. Now can Christina please join the cast as well?
It’s been more than a decade since Christina Aguilera launched her acting career with her one and only major role in the movie Burlesque. Now, after all that time, it seems the musical will have a new life, but fans shouldn’t expect a sequel.
According to an exclusive report from Entertainment Weekly, Aguilera is planning on set bringing Burlesque to the stage. At present, it appears the Grammy winner is only serving as an executive producer, bringing her star power to the production. While she starred in the film, it doesn’t appear she will be in the upcoming musical when it hits the stage.
The new stage adaptation of Burlesque is reportedly going to begin its life in the U.K., but a date for its premiere hasn’t been shared yet.
The musical adaptation has been written by the original film’s director, Steven Antin. When pressed by EW, Antin confirmed the good news, saying, “Yes the stage musical adaptation is happening.”
According to the EW report, the musical will feature some of the well-known songs that were featured in the movie. Those tunes were penned by stars like Sia, Diane Warren, and Aguilera herself, who sang many of them as well. The new stage show will also include never-before-heard tracks written by Jess Foley and social media sensation Todrick Hall.
The Burlesque soundtrack was a minor success, as it broke into the top 20 on the Billboard 200. Several of the singles propelled from the title reached some lesser Billboard charts, with only “Show Me How You Burlesque” debuting on the Hot 100. It peaked at No. 70.
The movie itself earned middling reviews from critics, and it earned $90 million at the box office off of a $55 million budget. The film did land several Golden Globe nominations, winning Best Original Song for one of its two nominated tunes. The soundtrack was also up for a pair of Grammys, though it didn’t take home any gold.
Burlesque revolves around Ali Rose (played by Christina Aguilera), a small-town girl with big dreams, who stumbles upon a struggling burlesque lounge in Los Angeles. Determined to escape her mundane life and make it in the entertainment industry, Ali convinces the club’s owner, Tess (played by Cher), to give her a chance on stage. As Ali becomes part of the eclectic and glamorous world of burlesque, she not only discovers her own talent but also becomes entangled in the drama, rivalry, and romance of the club’s performers.
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