‘Clinton: The Musical’ Coming To New York

For anyone who has ever dreamed of seeing the Monica Lewinsky scandal brought to life with musical accompaniment, you wish may just be coming true.

According to Mother Jones, two Australian writers have developed a musical based on the oft-times tumultuous lives of former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.

The magazine had a chance to speak to the writers, brothers Michael and Paul Hodge, about their show and this is what Paul had to say about putting the Clinton scandals to music:

“My family and I went to go and see a musical in Australia about an Australian politician, back in 2006 or 2007. And after the show, my dad said, ‘Oh, it was good, but politicians don’t make good subjects for musicals. The only politician who would make a good subject for that would be Bill Clinton.’ And I said, ‘Of course!'”

Thus was born the idea of putting the Clintons on stage with a symphony and backup vocalists.

The magazine reports that the musical will not discuss the couple’s years in Arkansas, where the former president had been among the state’s longest serving governors before ascending to the Oval Office. The play also will not delve into much of the former secretary of state’s life as a senator representing New York state for eight years. According to the political magazine, the play will focus exclusively on the couple’s eight years in the White House.

Paul said the play will have President Clinton portrayed by two actors, at the suggest of his brother.

“Michael came up with idea that Clinton should be be two actors and two characters. At first I said, ‘That’s the stupidest idea I’ve ever heard.’ But then I read Clinton’s autobiography, where he writes about sort of living two parallel lives. And then there was [Clinton adviser] Dick Morris who had [nick]names for him like, ‘Saturday Night Bill’ and ‘Sunday Morning President Clinton.’ So then I thought that it was actually a really good device to explore a person who is so complex.”

While the play is scheduled to open in New York on July 18, ArabNews.com reports that the musical has already been gracing a British stage for some time and won an award for best new musical in 2012. The website said even though the play has been in existence for a few years, only two of 21 songs featured in the British version of the play will remain in the American version.

With the new musical coming to America, do you think — like Mitt Romney said earlier this year — that Bill Clinton is an embarrassment? Tell us in the comments section below.

[Image via Flickr Creative Commons]