50. Transformative Adaptations

This week JJ and Kelly continue their discussion about adaptations, moving on to TRANSFORMATIVE ADAPTATIONS. Their definition is a little...loose, but essentially they consider transformative adaptations those that take the source material and transform it into something entirely different by shifting the focus, or else changing the meaning of the source material. WARNING: WE SPOIL THE HECK OUT OF WICKED (both the book and the musical) SO LISTEN WITH CAUTION.

Show Notes

• You might consider transformative adaptions sort of...AU fanfic of the source material?

• The best example of transformative adaptation(s) is The Wizard of Oz:

  • The original book written by L. Frank Baum in 1900 as a whimsical children's story

  • The 1939 musical film adaptation with Judy Garland

  • The 1970s stage (and later film) musical retelling from an African-American perspective

  • The 1995 novel telling the backstory of the Wicked Witch of the West

  • The 2003 stage musical adapting the 1995 novel (and a little bit of the 1939 movie)

• Each iteration of The Wizard of Oz focuses on a different theme:

  • ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

  • Home and finding where you belong

  • Oz as a metaphor for the urban black experience of the 1970s

  • An exploration of political activism

  • A story about two girls becoming friends and the importance of that relationship

What We're Working On

• Nothing new on Kelly's end!

• Still book 2 for JJ.

Books Discussed/What We're Reading

• Anne of Green Gables, Avonlea, the Island, and Windy Poplars by L. M. Montgomery

• Rilla of Ingleside by L. M. Montgomery

• Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire

• The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum

• Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay

• Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

• Gossip Girl by Cecily von Ziegesar

• Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard

• The 100 by Kass Morgan

• City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

• Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote

• The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen

• The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo

• The Rose and the Dagger by Renée Ahdieh

• Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo

• The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas (cover reveal + excerpt)

• The Midnight Star by Marie Lu

• Saga by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples

Off Menu Recommendations

• Clue

• Pirates of the Caribbean

• The Wizard of Oz

• The Wiz (and The Wiz Live!)

• Wicked

• Return to Oz

• Anne of Green Gables and Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel

• The Sound of Music Live!

• Avenue Q

• Dexter

• True Blood

• Gossip Girl

• Pretty Little Liars

• The 100

• Breakfast at Tiffany's

• The Little Mermaid

• The Hunchback of Notre Dame

• Der Glöckner von Notre Dame/The Hunchback of Notre Dame

• Stranger Things

• Lin-Manuel Miranda's Stranger Things sketch on SNL

• Also Crucible Cast Party

• Oh and also Lin's opening monologue

• Says Who? podcast with Maureen Johnson and Dan Sinker

What You're Saying

Informative and entertaining! ★★★★★ Sara Crawford I am still in the beginning stages of my publishing journey, and I have learned so much about the publishing industry from this podcast! I particularly love their episodes about being on submission because I haven't found many people to commiserate with about how LONG I have been on submission, but this podcast makes me feel like I'm not the only writer obsessively checking her e-mail and crying. (Kidding, kidding...but not really.) This podcast is a must for writers on the traditional publishing journey. Their discussions about craft are also amazing, and they inspire me to keep writing. (Side note: They are also responsible for my new HAMILTON obsession.)

YOU'RE WELCOME. ;-) If we die have spread the word of Hamilton to our listeners, we will have lived full lives.

That's all for this week! Next week we'll continue with this series with TRANS-MEDIA ADAPTATION. As always, if you have any questions you would like us to answer on the podcast, don't hesitate to contact us!