“Oh, I wrote a musical about me. I really did. This is just me.”
Joe Iconis, one of the best writers on Broadway and one of Brian’s favorite people, joins us on The Other 51 to talk all about The Untitled Unauthorized Hunter S. Thompson Musical.
Yep, that’s the title of Joe’s most recent show, which debuted at La Jolla Playhouse in San Diego in 2023.
Joe tells the story of the name and why it’s so appropriate for a show about Hunter S. Thompson. Joe also discusses why the show is unauthorized, what that meant for him trying to write a show without being able to use a famous writers’ words, and why it was scary but ultimately rewarding.
Joe and Brian also discuss the show’s multivolume coffee table book trip from an idea in 2007 to the stage 16 years later, what’s next for the show, and the difference for Joe between writing music and writing a script.
Rabbit holes include the coming Broadway Thinkpieces and Huey Lewis and the News. We also get a Diane Kitten update.
“Let there be things that are weird and strange. And good and true.”
Links
The Untitled Unauthorized Hunter S. Thompson Musical
Buy Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas from The Strand
Oh Mary (the best show Joe’s seen lately)
Days of Wine and Roses (the best show Joe’s seen lately)
The Untold Stories of Broadway Vol. 4 by Jennifer Ashley Tepper (the best thing Joe’s read lately)
Support
The Other 51 is and will always be free, but if you like my work (and the stuff I do at Sports Media Guy and want to kick me a few dollars, you can do so here. I really appreciate your support.
Follow us on Instagram. We’re on the decaying corpse of Twitter, but only because for some reason sports media won’t abandon the site.
Subscribe: