Paul McCartney has been secretly working on a musical adaptation of It’s A Wonderful Life.
The former Beatle is ticking off another first — writing a musical adaptation of Frank Capra’s 1946 film. The idea hailed from British theatre producer, Bill Kenwright, who acquired the rights to It’s A Wonderful Life and then approached McCartney — three years ago!
“Like many of these things, this all started with an email,” McCartney said. “Bill had asked if it was something I might be up for. Writing a musical is not something that had ever really appealed to me, but Bill and I met up with Lee Hall and had a chat and I found myself thinking this could be interesting and fun.”
According to the musician, the forthcoming adaptation will be “a universal story we can all relate to.”
He’s been working with Billie Elliot scribe, Lee Hall, who said of the project, “It has absolutely everything: comedy, pathos and a rare humanity which has touched generation after generation. Yet it just couldn’t be more relevant. To give it a life on the stage is an immense privilege, but to do it with Paul McCartney is off the scale. Paul’s wit, emotional honesty, and melodic brilliance brings a whole new depth and breadth to the classic tale. I feel as if an angel must be looking after me.”
Production is set to launch in late 2020 in the UK before moving to Broadway.