Legitimate Theater Bonus: #8. Halloween The Musical (2009)

Welcome to Legitimate Theater: a column dedicated to movie-based stage musicals. The goal of this series is to explore those stories that originated in films and eventually worked their way onto Broadway and beyond. By the end of each entry, there will hopefully be a better understanding of this odd but rampant trend in modern entertainment. Are these stories really worth telling through song and dance? How can it even compare to the technical prowess of a camera and seamless editing? Join me on this quest as I explore the highs and lows of this trend on the third Wednesday of every month and hopefully answer what makes this Legitimate Theater.

Opening

It's the day that everyone in October has been waiting for. Today is Halloween, and that means a variety of things to people. For a certain facet of horror fans, they know that it means that today is when Michael Myers breaks into the suburbs and seeks his revenge against Laurie Strode. It all spawned from the John Carpenter horror classic Halloween back in 1978, but has been ingrained in pop culture ever since, most recently with a box office-topping film, also called Halloween. It only makes sense then that someone would have the fortitude to make the story into a stage version. Besides, it's only right that one of the slasher genre's biggest icons had a few songs to dance to. While this is far from a Broadway hit, it's still a show that only feels right to cover for this sacred holiday, if just to see if they have what it takes to cut it. 

A Quick Background

Tony Wins: N/A

Based on: Halloween (1978)

Music: John B. deHaas

Lyrics: John B. deHaas

Book: John B. deH

Prominent Actors: Juan Cantu, Andrea Stack, Robert Stack, Paul Leiner

Soundtrack

1. "Trick or Treat"
2. "Why'd It Happen in Haddonfield?"
3. "Walkin' and Talkin'/Totally"
4. "Standin' and Talkin'"
5. "Cruisin' and Talkin'"
6. "Evil Eyes"
7. "Ben Tramer"
8. "The Bogeyman"
9."Don't Get Dressed"
10. "Michael's Revenge"
11."The Confession"
12. "Trick or Treat Finale"
13. "Michael Myers (Megamix)"

Note: Listen to the music here

Song Exploration

Opening Song:
"Trick or Treat"

There are few themes as ubiquitous as horror movies in a broad sense like John Carpenter's iconic theme for Halloween. It's likely why this show wouldn't be complete without an opening song that cribs the melody from it. What's more impressive is how much leverage that piano has in capturing the horror as well as deeper emotion further into the comic musical. Thankfully, the music applied to it is a joyful celebration of all things Michael Myers. This opening track in particular feels like a great throwback to upbeat musicals, capturing the fun and excitement that comes with the Halloween holiday. It's got enough personality to at least suggest that it will be a fun listen inside the mind of creators who thought this was a good idea (which it kind of was).

Carryovers:
"Trick or Treat"

It should be noted that this is only a tangential carryover, as the opening melody is in a different pitch and time signature. Though make no mistake that the opening melody is the same as the John Carpenter classic. It would be wrong to have the show without it. Beyond that, this is almost strictly a musical based around the original 1978 Halloween film, not featuring any input from later sequels (though Jamie Lee Curtis' career is joked about elsewhere). It's all for the best, as it allows the story to flesh out characters and allow every one of Laurie Strode's friends get their own memorable song. As much as this is a comical version of Halloween, it's a rather faithful one at that. 

High Point:

"The Bogeyman"

While all of the songs are generally fun, there's something greater about this throwback novelty song that is essentially a peppy retelling of Michael Myers' origins and powers. Without fading towards too morose imagery, the music feels like a group gathered around hearing a scary story while singing every detail. It's toe tapping fun and quickly develops a nice cadence that allows for a string of random descriptions in the final verse. It's all so silly and maybe dates the show at points, but it also shows the realm of obsession that the show has with horror not only within the slasher genre, but in every other field. If this show has one song worthy of giving a listen (though all of it is again worth your time), it would be this one. It's poppy in all of the right ways and may be the most fun thing that has Michael Myers attached to it. 

Low Point:

"Michael Myers (Megamix)"

Okay, this seems totally (sorry) unfair, especially given that it's likely a bonus track and not in the actual show. However, I am having trouble finding a dud song in this entire show. As dumb as "The Confession" can seem, it does have a sincerity that makes the Snickers bar gag work. Even the dumb teen sex tunes are written very well, and the "Trick or Treat Finale" is short but also is a pretty great punchline to the whole thing. It's why I had to side with the mega mix, which doesn't technically bring anything to the show besides evidence that the whole soundtrack is a ton of fun and would work to a different beat. I still like the track, but it's a summary where everything else is portrayed at great length in interesting fashions.

What Does It Bring to the Story?

At the end of the day, there are only two things really that the music brings to the story of Halloween. The most obvious is the music, which adds a more youthful and upbeat sense to the horror story without totally robbing the show of its charm. The fact that it manages to turn a lot of key moments into catchy melodies and lyrics that are as playful as they are winking in occasional laziness. The show knows how to have fun, and I think that's the essential charm of what it does. The show also brings in outside references. While the film had its own set of references to other pop culture, this musical is more obsessed oddly enough with theater history, at one point even mentioning some odd trivia about the musical 42nd Street.

Was This Necessary?

Yes

The world of horror movie musicals is a fickle mistress, as evident by all three of my selections from this past month. While Evil Dead the Musical was a delightful homage full of insane violence and absurd premises, the same didn't work for Silence! The Musical; whose witty lines about serial killers in vaudeville form only had so much appeal. However, Halloween The Musical falls closer to the former in that it not only understands the source material, but it also brings it to life in meaningful ways through music. The joke isn't just the sadistic nature of Michael Myers. It's also about the characters and developing them in ways that make for catchy numbers. It's by no means the most emotionally complex show out there, but it still has time for moments that make the characters something more. It also helps that the soundtrack is unabashedly strong front to back. It may not ever break out of cult status, but it will do Halloween fans some good to at least give it a shot.