Brokeback Mountain: The Musical” By Matthew Lee

     According to reports in local newspapers, and papers in Manhattan as well, the Oscar winning film “Brokeback Mountain” has just made its debut as a Broadway musical and the positive reviews are already flowing in. The theater going audience of New York demanded a brand new type of musical that has never been attempted.             Apparently the substance of this hard-hitting drama has finally been realized and this heavy story of love between cowboys is finally on stage. After the films release in 2005 the popularity of the picture has increased as time has progressed. So it was only a matter of time before this captivating drama made its way to the bright and flashy lights of Broadway. The story and setting of “Brokeback Mountain: The Musical” are all the same as the original film version. The only changes that have been made are the cast. Due to scheduling conflicts with his new film “The Dark Knight,” Heath Ledger regrettably was unable to reprise his role while Jake Gyllenhaal was busy as well. Ledger’s character “Ennis Del Mar” will be played by Harvey Fierstein, who has just recently been featured as the title role in “Fiddler on the Roof.” Del Mar’s love interest “Jack Twist” will be played by Nathan Lane, who has also made Broadway history with “The Producers.” Both Fierstein and Lane provide with their singing and acting talents and towards the end of the show there is hardly a dry eye in the house. While there is much singing and acting talent during the show it is also important to note the incredible set design and special effects. In spite of the many films that have had digital significance this year “Brokeback Mountain: The Musical” decided early on that a large majority of the budget would be spent on special effects and not on the set. In an attempt to intensify the audiences understanding of the story, the producers decided to incorporate several shoot out sequences and add a few car chases as well. Only none of these compare to the enormous plot twist during the middle of the musical. Without giving any major plot points away: all that will be mentioned are robots, a gospel choir, and a showdown by the Lincoln memorial. Many people were discouraged over the fact that Ang Lee, the films director, ran out of the theater in an attempt to vomit. However, critics and audiences both agree that “Brokeback Mountain: The Musical” is expected to win a handful of Tony awards and be remembered as a classic among the many other Broadway hits this year. Evidently the essence of this compelling story has made its way to the stage and has luckily kept its pride and dignity in one piece.