Carole King and many others have one. Now it’s time for a James Taylor Broadway jukebox musical.
“Fire & Rain” is the title, although the way audiences come to the theater these days they could call it “Shower the People.”
Taylor’s tremendous song catalog will be shaped into a narrative “August Osage County” playwright Tracy Letts. The show will be directed by David Cromer.
Unlike Carole King’s musical, “Beautiful,” there are a lot of dark periods that have to be addressed in this show. Taylor had a bad heroin problem that led to the end of his “fairytale” marriage to singer Carly Simon. There was a second marriage, and then a third to his current wife, which produced his two younger sons.
On the upside, a musical just about the early days of Taylor’s career could be fun. The recording of “Sweet Baby James” and “Mud Slide Slim” would overlap with “Beautiful” and feature Joni Mitchell, Linda Ronstadt, and other stars. Taylor was originally signed to the Beatles’ Apple Records as well.
Letts will also likely include Taylor’s musical family including brother Livingston and sister Kate, each of whom had strong careers of their own.
The show is in development so we probably won’t see it until 2027.
