On David Bowie's 'Lazarus'

Did you know that David Bowie's recent musical, Lazarus, was "initially conceived as a show about Jewish-American poet Emma Lazarus"? In this article, written for The Forward, Seth Rogovoy remarks on the conception of one of Bowie's final projects, and the rock artist's collaboration with novelist, Michael Cunningham. More:

According to an essay written by Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist and screenwriter Michael Cunningham (“The Hours”), the David Bowie musical “Lazarus” was initially conceived as a show about the great Jewish-American poet, Emma Lazarus, who is best known for her sonnet, “The New Colossus,” whose lines appear inscribed on a bronze plaque in the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty.

Writing in GQ magazine Cunningham reveals that Bowie called him out of the blue a decade ago to talk over his idea of a stage musical about a marooned alien, based upon the character he played in the Nicolas Roeg film, “The Man Who Fell to Earth.” The story, which would take place in the future, would revolve around the discovery of a cache of previously unknown songs by Jewish-American rock poet Bob Dylan. (The story would take place after Dylan’s death – keneynehore.) Bowie himself would write the fake Dylan songs. And finally, Bowie, obsessed with popular artists who hadn’t received their due as serious artists, wanted a role for the underappreciated poet Emma Lazarus, whose words are some of the most famous in the world but whose work is not taught in universities.

Cunningham and Bowie spent three months working on the musical, which Bowie also wanted to include a mariachi band. Then Bowie suffered heart trouble, needed surgery and rest, and the project was quietly shelved. Communication between Cunningham and Bowie petered out. It wasn’t until years later that Cunningham saw a poster for an upcoming production of “Lazarus” at a downtown New York theater that he learned that Bowie had gone ahead with the project working with another writer. The Dylan subplot, the mariachi band, and any overt mention of Emma Lazarus were gone; only the alien remained.

And the name “Lazarus.”

Continue at The Forward.