What If: Mo’ Better Blues Was A Musical?

It is a question I’ve asked myself hundreds of times over the course of 20 years. Why are Spike Lee’s movies not being revamped for Broadway? Stylistically it makes sense. There has always been a backdrop of magical realism to his work.

The famous floating walk as seen in many of his movies is just one of the things that suspend Lee’s film from just being about reality. Plays and musicals seem the appropriate place to heighten those moments on the stage.

And one of the biggest and easiest films to transfer to stage would be the film “Mo’ Better Blues.”

I hate to use tired phrases like “no brainer”, but….

The film already rides on a jazz and bluesy wave with music by Bill Lee, Spike’s musician father. The soundtrack was created by Bradford Marsalis and Terence Blanchard. The entire movie is about a bad-ass musician, his rival and the two loves of his life.

The movie felt like music and in a lot a ways like an August Wilson play.

Even the lighting and cinematography lends itself to the highly dramatic form with shades and shots that felt like stage spotlights.

And if all those elements weren’t compelling enough, what if you brought back both Denzel Washington and Wesley Snipes and put them on a stage together? Their chemistry was something that could not be matched and I am sure it would be the same today.  Remember we were talking about two of the biggest black male stars in Hollywood together in one film. A reunion of that magnitude would not only sell tickets but would be riveting to see in person.

It would also be intriguing to see Spike tip his hand towards stage directing. It would be fascinating to see how he works a stage to tell his story. “Mo’ Better Blues” would be a musical miracle on the stage.  If Hollywood doesn’t appreciate you Spike, the theater definitely will.

This film was made for the stage!