And Speaking of the '04 DS Pilot...

[Mysterious Benefactor]

...(which we have been  ) here's some interesting Alec Newman casting news:

The full cast has been announced to join Emma Williams and Kelly Price in Desperately Seeking Susan, which opens at the Novello on 15 November (previews from 12 October).

Mark McGee, Alec Newman, Leanne Best and Jonathan Wrather are among those joining the cast of this new musical based on the cult 1985 film, which entwines the hits of 80s pop-rock band Blondie with the story of two women whose lives become tangled in New York City.

Anyone interested in more details, like Newman's role and such, should check out: Complete cast is Desperately Seeking Susan

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Quite a nice interview with Alec Newman about Desperately Seeking Susan as well as some other things he has coming up.
Check out: Blondie, Madonna and the £55 dilemma

[Gothick]

What fun!  Even if Alec doesn't get to do much beyond yell, cry, run around and take his clothes off (yum!), this should be good exposure for him.

Sounds as if they're not using Madonna's song Into the Groove which was in the original movie; too bad.  That song really defined Desperately seeking Susan for this viewer.

G.

[Midnite]

Sounds as if they're not using Madonna's song Into the Groove which was in the original movie; too bad.  That song really defined Desperately seeking Susan for this viewer.

Wow, they're not, and that is just so wrong.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Another article that I received an e-mail notification of led me to the Deperately Seeking Susan Official Site. DS is actually listed in Newman's credits.    The site also includes video blogs and rehearsal footage.

[Midnite]

The site also includes video blogs and rehearsal footage.

Thanks!  The show footage is fun (though what's up with Susan's hair?!  ).  I recommend week #2 of the video blog to see more than a brief flash of Alec Newman.

That song really defined Desperately seeking Susan for this viewer.

Also missing-- the bushy eyebrows, sigh.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Several reviews:

Review Round-up: How Desperate Is Stage Susan?

The Stage / Reviews / Desperately Seeking Susan

The musical doesn't always fare too well, but at least Newman does.

Also, check out: DESPERATELY SEEKING SUSAN 1st NIGHT PHOTOS. Newman appears in photos #3, #18 & #19 (not exactly the most flattering one).

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Not being a fan of much of musical theatre, I have to say I found the opening sentence of Variety's review to be absolutely hysterically funny in an all too sad sort of way: "I can see it now: Some bright spark will grab the back catalog of the Doors and open a musical version of 'The Towering Inferno' with 'Come On, Baby, Light My Fire.'”   

And as with most of the previous reviews, Newman comes out better than the show itself does...

[Mysterious Benefactor]

A few more links:

Opening video/interviews

The Society of London Theatre's (favorable) review

thisislondon's review (which raves about the book, not exactly the use of the music - and once again Newman comes out with good notices, primarily for his acting)

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Apparently those mostly negative reviews took their toll: Desperately Seeking Susan Closes After One Month

It'll be interesting to see if one day the show is resurrected on Broadway in an "all-new mounting," as several other less than successfull London tryouts have done...