Hollywood to Broadway conduit continues apace

NEW YORK – Movie adaptations of Broadway shows are nothing new, but just as often the creative current flows the other way. And recently it seems the number of films that have made their way to adaptations on the New York stage has tipped the scales drastically.

This month, two new productions come to Broadway that are drawn from highly popular motion pictures – “Once,” based on 2006 Dublin-set indie film that won an Academy Award for the original song “Falling Slowly,” and “Ghost The Musical,” drawn from the misty 1990 romance that starred Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore.

“Once,” which features the music and lyrics of Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova and tells the story of two street musicians in Dublin who fall into a halting romance, began life off-Broadway, as a downtown production of the New York Theater Workshop.

After a tryout run, it moved to the Jacobs Theater on West 45th St. and began previews on Feb. 28. Opening night is set for March 18.

“Ghost The Musical,” featuring a pop-rock score from Dave Stewart (of the Eurythmics) and Glen Ballard, tells the story of lovers torn apart when one dies and returns as the apparition of the title. Whoopi Goldberg earned an Oscar for her role as the kooky medium who helps the grieving woman communicate with her late lover.

The musical begins previews Thursday at the Lunt-Fontanne Theater on West 46th St. and officially opens on April 23.