The Lost Boys: Will This Musical Finally Break the Vampire Curse on Broadway?

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In a recent development, it’s been declared that the timeless ’80s vampire film “The Lost Boys” is set to become the newest Broadway production transformed into a musical. Previously, movie-to-musical adaptations like “Hairspray” and “Beetlejuice,” as well as book adaptations such as “Wicked,” have proven successful on stage. However, when it comes to vampires, whether from films or books, musicals based on the undead have historically struggled to find success in America.

Indeed, the 2000s witnessed three high-profile and costly disappointments when it came to introducing vampires onto the stage. Since those three missteps, nobody has ventured to revive vampires on Broadway. Before The Lost Boys makes its grand debut in attempting a vampire musical after almost two decades, let us revisit the history of three vampire-themed productions that could serve as a lesson in caution.

Dance of the Vampires (2002-2003)

Initially, the infamous vampire musical that eventually became a flop didn’t begin as a disaster. On the contrary, it started off quite successfully. Originally titled Tanz der Vampire, this musical adaptation of Roman Polanski’s 1967 horror-comedy film The Fearless Vampire Killers, was a massive hit in Austria starting from 1997. It also enjoyed success in Germany and Japan. However, when it made its Broadway debut, the producers felt the need for a significant transformation to attract American audiences. Jim Steinman, renowned composer of bombastic pop hits for Meatloaf and Bonnie Tyler, was brought in to revamp the score. Given his work on Bat Out of Hell, he seemed an ideal choice for adapting a vampire musical.

Unfortunately, the book for the musical was rewritten to incorporate more explicit humor, primarily because the original jokes were deemed “too regional.” This might have been the first of many missteps.

To strengthen this questionable revamp, the creators enlisted musical sensation Michael Crawford as the main character, Graf von Krolock, in an effort to boost its credibility. At that time, Crawford was arguably the most popular Broadway star, best known for his role in Phantom of the Opera. However, Dance of the Vampires ended up being a complete departure from its European counterpart, and critics mercilessly tore it apart. Composer Jim Steinman eventually distanced himself from the project, publicly labeling the final product as “A heap of garbage” by opening night. Dance of the Vampires closed after only 56 performances in 2003, losing a staggering 12 million dollars. It went down in history as one of the biggest Broadway flops ever. But it wasn’t long before singing and dancing vampires would make another appearance on the stage, with a certain Count from Transylvania set to take center stage.

Dracula: The Musical (2004-2005)

The legendary vampire Dracula, often hailed as the “king daddy” of them all, unfortunately saw his Broadway musical adaptation, titled simply “Dracula: The Musical“, bomb spectacularly on the Great White Way. Given its strong brand name and the success of the non-musical version of Bram Stoker’s novel on Broadway that paved the way for Universal Studios’ portrayal, one might expect this musical to be a huge hit. After all, the music was composed by Frank Wildhorn, whose “Jekyll and Hyde” enjoyed a four-year run on Broadway. If the 19th-century Gothic tale of Jekyll and Hyde could become a successful musical, it seemed that Dracula would follow suit. Dracula: The Musical initially garnered impressive attendance and full houses at La Jolla Playhouse in California towards the end of 2001, setting high expectations for its Broadway debut. However, these hopes were dashed as it failed to make a lasting impact on the Great White Way.

Regrettably, when Dracula made its debut on Broadway in 2004, starring Tom Hewitt as the Count, the response was universally unfavorable, leading to an early closure in early 2005. Remarkably, much like Tanz der Vampires, it enjoyed a longer lifespan beyond North America. Immediately after its Broadway run ended, Dracula: The Musical embarked on a global tour, and since then, it has graced the stages of major cities around the world almost every year since its closure on Broadway. Shows like Carrie: The Musical, which flopped on Broadway, have found new life in local productions, suggesting that Dracula may follow a similar path. As history has shown us, Dracula is known to resurface from the grave in various forms. It’s even possible that he might rise from his coffin on Broadway again, demonstrating that yesterday’s discards can sometimes become today’s gems.

Lestat (2006)

Could a modern, seductive vampire do what Dracula couldn’t on stage, given his limitations? That was the expectation for Lestat, the latest vampire musical aiming for Broadway stardom. The production was spearheaded by music legend Elton John, in collaboration with his partner Bernie Taupin. Known for their plethora of pop hits and Elton’s successes on Broadway with The Lion King and Aida, they seemed to have all the ingredients for a hit show, especially considering Anne Rice’s novels’ massive fanbase. Unfortunately, Lestat failed to live up to expectations, despite Elton John’s long-standing interest in adapting Rice’s Vampire Chronicles.

Lestat debuted shortly following the disappointments of Dance of the Vampires and Dracula, and faced criticism almost immediately. The production was exceptionally bold, merging the first two novels in Rice’s series—Interview with the Vampire and The Vampire Lestat—into a single, continuous narrative. Furthermore, it showcased exceptional art direction from Dave McKean, who worked on Sandman.

Perhaps the initial error was omitting the contemporary framework found in the novels, where Lestat is depicted as a modern rock star. This decision may have been made due to the poor execution of that musical aspect in the 2002 film Queen of the Damned. Without this framework, the series ends on a somber and uninspiring note for the main character, ultimately making the entire production less enjoyable.

The musical production titled “Lestat,” featuring Hugh Panaro in a blonde wig as the lead character, held previews at San Francisco’s Curran Theatre. It broke box office records for past out-of-town tryouts in SF, surpassing both “Wicked” and “Cats” in ticket sales. The aim was to iron out any initial flaws in SF before achieving success on Broadway, similar to what “Wicked” did. Unfortunately, “Lestat” didn’t achieve that dream when it premiered on Broadway early in 2006, closing after only 39 performances due to negative reviews. A cast album was recorded but never released, despite Carolee Carmello receiving a Tony nomination for her role as Lestat’s mother, Gabrielle. After the failure of “Lestat” on Broadway following “Dracula” and “Dance of the Vampires,” Broadway largely avoided vampire-themed shows for several subsequent years.

Will Lost Boys Save the Vampire Musical?

Could it be possible that “The Lost Boys” will succeed in reinventing the image of vampires on Broadway? It’s hard to predict, but it seems like a long shot. It’s not accurate to claim that vampires can’t thrive in musical theater based on their lackluster performances in previous productions. Just look at the impressive earnings from recent films such as “Nosferatu.” The emotional romance of series like “Twilight” (and even “True Blood”) appears ideally suited for the stage. Additionally, the musical episode of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” titled “Once More With Feeling,” is often hailed as one of the greatest TV musical episodes ever made. One would expect this to be a winning formula. However, it seems that audiences are hesitant about watching vampires perform on stage during a Broadway matinee show. Here’s hoping that “The Lost Boys” finds a solution and lifts the vampire musical curse.

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2025-02-04 18:33