“Idolmaker” To Become Musical
Craig Zadan and Neil Meron (pictured), who produced the movie versions of “Chicago” and “Hairspray,” have optioned “The Idolmaker,” a 1980 movie, directed by Taylor Hackford, about the producer who made stars of Fabian and Frankie Avalon. (Gee, do you think Craig and Neil have seen “Jersey Boys”?) Supposedly, this project is headed first for Broadway. My suggestion: please don’t ask Hackford to direct it. My spies tell me that the biggest problem with “Leap of Faith,” the musical version of the 1992 Steve Martin movie that’s been workshopped a fair bit but is in limbo at the moment, is Hackford’s direction. Whatever his skills as a movie guy, he apparently doesn’t have the stage in his bones.
