Meat Loaf In Talks to Play Chitty's Evil Child Catcher
Meat Loaf, who was born Michael Lee Aday, was appearing in a tour of Hair when he recorded his first album called Stoney and Meat Loaf in 1971. His other theatrical acting credits include the Broadway musicals Rockabye Hamlet and The Rocky Horror Show he also notably appeared in the film version, The Rocky Horror Picture Show and off-Broadway productions of the gospel musical Rainbow, Othello, As You Like It and Black and White. In the mid-1970s, Meat Loaf was cast in Jim Steinman's musical More Than You Deserve. The meeting between Meat Loaf and Steinman proved to be an important one; Steinman went on to write the music for Meat Loaf's 1977 album Bat Out of Hell, which made him a huge star in the recording world. His subsequent recordings include Dead Ringer, Midnight at the Lost and Found, Bad Attitude, Blind Before I Stop, Bat Out of Hell II: Back Into Hell, Welcome to the Neighborhood, Live Around the World and Fallen Angel. In addition to The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Meat Loaf has acted in numerous other films, including Dead Ringer, Out of Bounds, Wayne's World, The Gun in Betty Lou's Handbag, Leap of Faith, Spice World, The Mighty, Crazy in Alabama, Fight Club, Focus, The Car Kid and The Salton Sea.
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, the musical adaptation of the 1968 movie of the same name, centers on an eccentric inventor, Caractacus Potts, who has a flying car. Though Potts is happy just using the special car for family trips, others have more sinister aims, including the Baron and Baroness of Vulgaria and their evil henchman, the Child Catcher, who are all desperately trying to steal the automobile. Interestingly, Meat Loaf's Rocky Horror co-star Richard O'Brien originated the role of the Child Catcher in the West End production of the show.
Adapted for the stage from Ian Fleming's original text by Jeremy Sams, the musical Chitty features a score by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman, who wrote the film's songs. Adrian Noble directs and Gillian Lynne choreographs. The musical will begin previews at Broadway's Ford Center for the Performing Arts on March 29, 2005 in preparation for an April 28, 2005 opening. No casting has been confirmed for the production, but we previously reported Raúl Esparza, Philip Bosco, Erin Dilly, Marc Kudisch and Jan Maxwell are all in negotiations to appear in the cast.