Anne Rice's most indelible vampire character will sing in San Francisco starting in late 2005, with the world premiere pre-Broadway engagement of Lestat, by Elton John and Bernie Taupin.

The Curran Theatre will host the run. Dates are yet to be announced, but late 2005 is the promise from the Best of Broadway series there.

"Lestat, one of Anne Rice's most celebrated literary characters, is being brought to the stage in the first-ever collaboration of the legendary team of Elton John (music) and Bernie Taupin (lyrics) on a Broadway production," according to the Curran. "Based on characters and incidents from Ms. Rice's best-selling novels, 'Interview with the Vampire' and 'The Vampire Lestat,' the book is by Linda Woolverton and Robert Jess Roth directs."

Woolverton and Roth previously collaborated on Disney's Beauty and the Beast. The new musical is expected on Broadway in spring 2006, a spokesman confirmed.

Musical saging is by Matt West, scenic design by Derek McLane, costume design by Susan Hilferty, lighting design by Kenneth Posner and visual concept design by David McKean.

Lestat "is the lush and rich story of a man who escapes the tyranny of his oppressive family only to have his life taken from him. Thrust into the seductive and sensual world of an immortal vampire, Lestat tries to reconcile his innate sense of good with his primal need to exist."

When it was announced in spring 2003, the project's working title was The Vampire Lestat. "'Interview With the Vampire' is one of my favorite books and Anne Rice is one of my favorite authors," Elton said in an earlier statement. "Although this project has taken a while to come together, I firmly believe we have the right team in place. The Vampire Lestat is the first stage musical that I've written with Bernie which makes it even more special for me."

Taupin added, "Anne had always loved the idea of seeing her Vampire Chronicles set in some sort of serious and seductive musical setting and for all of the parties involved this is the opportunity of a lifetime. Our intention is make a classically-based show that is stripped of gothic clichés and that shows the vampire dealing with his damnation on a more realistic and human level. Please let me make this clear this is NOT a rock opera. Our hope is that it will be stylish, sexy, intelligent, rich and hypnotically dark."

The title character has been adapted for the screen in such films as "Interview With the Vampire" and "Queen of the Damned." Both movies drew on the original best-selling novels by Anne Rice.

Related News