‘American Psycho’ Musical Coming to Off Broadway

— July 14, 2014 0 3

‘American Psycho’ Musical Coming to Off Broadway

By PATRICK HEALY / The New York Times

From left, Matt Smith, as Patrick Bateman, and Ben Aldridge in “American Psycho” at the Almeida Theater in London. Manuel Harlan

Patrick Bateman is snaking back to New York. The investment banker-cum-serial killer at the center of Bret Easton Ellis’s 1991 novel, “American Psycho,” will be singing and dancing amid spatters of blood in a musical adaptation at Second Stage Theater starting in February, executives there announced Monday.

With music and lyrics by Duncan Sheik (a Tony Award winner for “Spring Awakening”) and a book by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (“Good Boys and True,” “Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark”), the musical was originally mounted last winter at Almeida Theater in London, with its artistic director, Rupert Goold, staging the work to mixed-to-positive reviews. Mr. Goold will direct the show at Second Stage.

Mr. Aguirre-Sacasa, in an email on Monday, said that he was making some revisions to the book and that Mr. Sheik was writing a couple of new songs. “We’re going to put a bit more ‘psycho’ in the text and production, a little more horror and suspense,” he said.

Carole Rothman, the artistic director of Second Stage, also noted that the production would have an all-American cast; the role of Patrick was played in London by Matt Smith, a star there from the television series “Doctor Who.” Casting will be announced later.

“And there will be a lot more BLOOD!!!” Ms. Rothman added in an email.

“American Psycho” is the first of Mr. Ellis’s novels to be adapted for the stage. Commercial producers from Act 4 Entertainment have been developing the musical and are contributing financially to the budget for the Second Stage run, Off Broadway; Ms. Rothman said the exact amount was being worked out. Any chance for the production to transfer from Second Stage to Broadway for a commercial run will depend in large part on the reviews after the show’s opening night in March.

Reference: The New York Times