Pavement are to launch a stage musical based on their songs.
The indie rock band – which consists of Stephen Malkmus, Bob Nastanovich, Scott Kannberg, Steve West, Mark Ibold, and previously Gary Young – released five albums during their initial run from 1989 until 1999, becoming known for tracks such as ‘Range Life’ and ‘Shady Lane’ and enjoyed a reunion this year but are now set to put their songs into a stage musical titled ‘ ‘Slanted! Enchanted!,’ named after their first studio album.
Alongside a poster for the upcoming production, the ‘We Dance’ hitmakers tweeted: “The majesty and mystery of Pavement, one of rock music’s most unique treasures, brought to life on the theatre stage for an abbreviated, unforgettable stand.”
Two workshop performances have been scheduled to take place at the Off-Broadway Sheen Center in New York on December 1 and 2.
No plot details have been made public yet but Alex Ross Perry – who has also written the book to the musical – is listed as director, just months after he was at the helm of a remake of Pavement’s 1999 hit ‘Harness Your Hopes.’
Michael Esper – who starred in the Green Day jukebox musical ‘American Idiot’ on Broadway – will star alongside Zoe Lister-Jones, who is known for having played Fawn Moscato on the sitcom ‘New Girl’ alongside Zooey Deschanel.
Earlier this year, Stephen – who hit the road with his bandmates in September for the first time in over a decade – insisted that their old songs are good enough to “exist in the present” and ruled out the idea of recording any new music.
He said: “No way. These [old] songs are good, they exist in this present. That’s just me, anyone can do what they want. It’s your life, choose your adventure. If any band wants to make a new album, they like to do that, that’s totally rad. But, yeah, not happening.”
For more information on ‘Slanted! Enchanted!’ visit https://ci.ovationtix.com/34409/production/1144509.