News for fans of music producer T Bone Burnett, horror novelist Stephen King, and musician John Mellencamp: their southern-style gothic tale musical "Ghost Brothers of Darkland County" is hitting the stage in Atlanta.Official production synopsis: "In the tiny town of Lake Belle Reve, Mississippi in 1967, a terrible tragedy took the lives of two brothers and a beautiful young girl. During the next forty years, the events of that night became the stuff of local legend. But legend is often just another word for lie. Joe McCandless knows what really happened; he saw it all. The question is whether or not he can bring himself to tell the truth in time to save his own troubled sons, and whether the ghosts left behind by an act of violence will help him – or tear the McCandless family apart forever."(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_Brothers_of_Darkland_County)
Mr. Mellencamp has said about the story: "[It's about] two brothers; they're 19 years old or 20, maybe 18 or 21, who are very competitive and dislike each other immensely. The father takes them to the family vacation place, a cabin that the boys hadn't been to since they were kids. What has happened is that the father had two older brothers who hated each other and killed each other in that cabin. There's a confederacy of ghosts who also live in this house. The older [dead] brothers are there, and they speak to the audience, and they sing to the audience. That's all I want to say, except through this family vacation, many things are learned about the family, and many interesting songs are sung." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_Brothers_of_Darkland_County)I mentioned T Bone Burnett before when I wrote an entry not too long ago about Sir Elton John and Leon Russell's album "The Union." Mr. Burnett produced that album and he has produced many of John Mellencamp's albums which is why he is part of this most recent collaboration with him.
I haven't mentioned the King yet in my blog, for which I am sorry because his books are amazingly terrifying. I always thought his work would translate well to the stage (provided who's doing the telling - "Carrie the Musical" anyone?)
It even stars Justin Guarini who some of you may remember as the first runner-up in the very first season of "American Idol" - the one that songstress Kelly Clarkson won. Anyway, I had a huge crush on him back in the day (even loved his afro!) and he is amazingly talented so this could be a great place for him to show them off. I'm so glad he's still around, even if its sorda under the radar.I hope there is an album of a live recording of this musical. There's supposed to be one made later this year. I would love to hear it. Maybe it'll even hit Broadway and I might be able to see it!
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