Tim Rice on Eternity's B'way Plans, Casting Elton John in Joseph & Reuniting with Andrew Lloyd Webber

Tim Rice’s West End production of From Here to Eternity is hitting the big screen October 2, 5 and 9, making its debut in movie theaters throughout the U.S. Although the tuner, adapted from James Jones' 1951 WW2 classic novel, with lyrics by Rice, music by Stuart Brayson and a book by Bill Oakes, had a short-lived London run, the legendary lyricist has hopes that it will have a new life in America. Since 1965 Rice has worked extensively with Andrew Lloyd Webber, Disney and Elton John and his many credits include Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, Chess, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, Aida and The Lion King. The Tony, Oscar and Grammy-winning, cricket-loving Brit talked to Broadway.com about his projects, past, present and future.

You’re Sir Tim Rice. You can work on any project you want. Why From Here to Eternity (FHTE)?
Well, really because of a young man called Stuart Brayson, who I’ve been keeping tabs on for literally 20 years. He sent me tons of musicals, one or two of which he got on, but there was nothing that I really thought could conquer the world until he came up with FHTE. And to be brutally frank, that may not conquer the world. Everybody put their heart and soul into it, but I think there are things that we all got wrong, which if we’d had the luxury of an out-of-town show we could have made better. It went very well in rehearsals, everybody loved it—we just didn’t sell enough tickets.

You’ve done this beautifully shot filmed version of FHTE—are you hoping for the show to have a life beyond London?
Fathom and Omniverse wanted to [film] it, they’ve done it and they’ve done a very good job of it. It is a good production, it just isn’t quite right, but we were able to make some edits in the film which were hard to do in the stage version and so I think it is a very useful calling card for the show. I’m delighted that it’s being shown in American cinemas.

There are a lot of shows now being filmed—do you think it’s a good thing?
I’m very happy about it. I think if a production is a hit, particularly, then I think it’s good that there’s a record of it. And I’m pleased for Stuart that there is a really good film of the show that we did. FHTE hasn’t been a big hit, but it got quite good reviews and one or two very good ones. I think if nothing else happened I would be glad that the film’s there so that one day, someone might say: “hang on, something is there.”

So the plan now for FHTE is to take it to America next year “out of town” and then maybe bring it to Broadway?  
I think your timetable is a bit optimistic! But there’s lots of interest in America and I’m confident that we can get a production going in the States, where the whole story has a resonance. I think the key thing is, if, and it’s a big if, we can find a director that we’re really happy with, to do it for the American market.

Congratulations on the recent milestone with The Lion King! With that show and of course all of your other successes, did you feel a pressure working on FHTE?
Absolutely not at all. Regards Lion King, it was a great Disney thing which I was lucky enough to be involved with from the start and it’s just very nice to have happen. I think Elton and I made quite a bit of a contribution, particularly to the movie, but these things take off and have a life of their own.

Do you think Aladdin is West End-bound?
Apparently. I’m sure they’ll bring it to London because it does look like a big hit on Broadway.

What do you make of London’s West End suddenly looking like the 1980s again?  You’ve got Evita, Saigon, Les Miz and Phantom all running and Cats is returning soon.
I think it’s rather depressing, really. It’s nice that some of these classic shows come back, but it’s strange when you think you bust your guts for two years on FHTE and then without any effort at all you get Evita running in London and Aladdin coming on in New York, and you think, “Why do I bother?” But it’s good in the sense that obviously they’re good shows and that there’s an audience for them, but we’ve got to get some good new ones!

Elton John’s production company is making the Joseph movie—was it you that put everyone together?
No, I didn’t have anything to do with putting people together. At least I don’t think I did. Elton rang up and said that he was thrilled that his company were doing it, but I don’t think he's going to be particularly involved. Maybe he’ll take a part, actually!

What sort of stage is the Joseph movie at?
We had the first meeting about it last week and it’s the very early days. Matt Lucas is doing a screenplay. Obviously if there are any new songs then Andrew and I will write them.

Do you really use your three Oscars as candlesticks for cricket dinners?
They live in Cornwall and the only time I ever get them out is to put them on the table at the cricket dinner and they look like candlesticks, but the first time I did it nobody noticed them until the coffee course!

There’s a rumor that you’d like to do a show about the life of Machiavelli. Is it on the cards after FHTE?
I’ve actually written a complete treatment of it so that may happen. It might even be a play.

See From Here to Eternity on the big screen throughout the U.S. October 2, 5 and 9.