‘Thriller’ stage musical in the works

A stage musical featuring songs from Michael Jackson’s Thriller album is in works, the New York-based Nederlander Organization said Monday.

James L. Nederlander said the group of live-entertainment producers and theater owners has acquired the rights to produce a musical version of Thriller, featuring songs from the album of the same name, as well as from Off the Wall, another of Jackson’s popular collections.

The musical is to be based on the groundbreaking, 14-minute music video for the song Thriller. The short film is a horror-movie spoof that finds a young couple’s date interrupted when the young man, played by Jackson, turns into a werewolf because of the night’s full moon.

This musical will be the exclusive Michael Jackson authorized version of ‘Thriller’ and Jackson will participate in every aspect of the creative process, the organization said in a news release.

The Nederlanders and Michael Jackson represent live theater and musical excellence, so let the music begin, Jackson’s spokesman Dr. Tohme Tohme said in a statement on the pop star’s behalf.

I love the idea of making ‘Thriller’ a musical. Girl meets boy, they fall in love, boy has big secret, now what? added Nederlander, the organization’s president.

The group did not say where or when the show might open, nor who is expected to write it or star in it.