"Weird Al" Yankovic is getting the Broadway treatment. A jukebox musical titled "Dare To Be Stupid," named after his 1985 novelty album, is in active development for the stage, according to Playbill.
The project brings together significant Broadway talent. Writers Scott Brown and Anthony King, who collaborated on the hit musical "Beeteljuice" and the comedy musical "Gutenberg! The Musical!", will craft the script. Producer Alex Timbers, known for steering "Moulin Rouge!" to theatrical success, rounds out the creative team.
The musical mines Yankovic's three-decade catalog of accordion-driven parodies. His polka renditions of "Like a Virgin," "Smells Like Teen Spirit," and countless other pop hits provide the soundtrack. The jukebox musical format, which strings together existing songs to tell a narrative, has become a reliable Broadway formula in recent years. "Beetlejuice," the show Brown and King previously wrote, demonstrates their ability to translate quirky source material into stage spectacle.
Yankovic's permission and involvement remain unclear from the announcement, though the artist has shown openness to adaptations. The musical arrives as Broadway continues mining pop culture and musician biographies. Recent entries include "& Juliet" (Max Martin's pop songs), "Rock of Ages" (80s rock anthems), and "Six" (Tudor history set to contemporary pop).
Yankovic's brand of comedy and gentle satire could translate well to the stage. His career spans multiple entertainment mediums, from MTV stardom in the 1980s to later work in voice acting and comedy. A Broadway vehicle offers the opportunity to celebrate both his absurdist humor and his surprising musicianship.
No timeline or Broadway theater has been announced yet. The musical enters a development phase that typically lasts months or years before potential staging.