Band Chicago Preps Tuner With Eye for B'way
by Broadway Staff • Jul 28, 2004
A new musical using the music of rock 'n' roll band Chicago is being developed with an eye towards a spring 2005 Broadway bow. Colour My Word will feature an original book by Jeff Arch best known for writing the story and co-writing the screenplay for Sleepless in Seattle and musical direction by Broadway veteran Doug Katsaros.
"[The show] has a beginning, middle and an end," Richard Akins, who is producing Colour My World with his wife Janina Akins, told Broadway.com. "It's a classic Broadway show. We created the story and then put the songs in. It wasn't hard. It wasn't fitting square pegs in round holes because of the wealth of material. I've kidded the guys: 'In your career iyou've written a Broadway show, but you never figured it out before.' Now we've figured it out."
"[The show] has a beginning, middle and an end," Richard Akins, who is producing Colour My World with his wife Janina Akins, told Broadway.com. "It's a classic Broadway show. We created the story and then put the songs in. It wasn't hard. It wasn't fitting square pegs in round holes because of the wealth of material. I've kidded the guys: 'In your career iyou've written a Broadway show, but you never figured it out before.' Now we've figured it out."
A big force in music since the 1970s, Chicago is one of the most successful bands of all times in terms of album sales. Colour My World will include a plethora of the band's biggest hits including "Wake Up Sunshine," "Wishing You Were Here," "You're The Inspiration, I'm a Man" and "Hard to Say I'm Sorry." Band member James Pankow has also penned two original songs for the tuner, which Richard Akins says is about 75% written.
"It's a love story," Richard Akins says of the plot. "Boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl back. There is the potential for infidelity, death and it all ends up in a big happy ending."