By Ernio Hernandez
08 Oct 2008

John Gallagher, Jr. in Spring Awakening
photo by Doug Hamilton

Film versions of Broadway's last two Tony Award-winning Best Musicals — Spring Awakening and In The Heights — are likely.

At the Oct. 6 Revival: Broadway's Next Act panel discussion at Carnegie Hall's Zankel Hall, films of both award-winning musicals were mentioned.

Ana Gasteyer (Wicked, The Threepenny Opera) moderated the evening, which featured Spring Awakening composer Duncan Sheik, In the Heights creator-star Lin-Manuel Miranda, Legally Blonde director-choreographer Jerry Mitchell, original Rent star Anthony Rapp and "Hairspray" film director Adam Shankman.

When the topic turned to stage musicals crossing over to the big screen, Miranda asked Sheik if a Spring Awakening movie was in the works. Sheik declined to comment, though Shankman (who was interested in optioning the work) noted the rights had already been acquired.

Shankman further divulged that Jennifer Lopez had expressed interest in bringing In the Heights to the big screen. Miranda, who revealed he will leave the Tony-winning show in February 2009, said he hoped the musical would live on beyond his departure but did not talk about the possibility of a Heights film.

The evening, presented by Carnegie Hall's young membership The Notables, included performances by Miranda and Sheik as well as Rapp. Miranda performed "Delivery," a rough cut of his forthcoming contribution to the updated version of Working, with accompanist (and Tony Award-winning orchestrator) Alex Lacamoire. Rapp later sang "Visits to You," a song from his developing biographical stage show Without You. Sheik closed the evening with "I Don't Do Sadness" from Spring Awakening followed by "A Purple Trail" from his upcoming new musical The Nightingale (also penned with Spring's Steven Sater).

For more information on The Notables, visit carnegiehall.org/notables.

Scenes from In The Heights
photo by Joan Marcus