** BEFORE YOU READ ANY FURTHER, PLEASE KNOW THAT THE FOLLOWING WAS AN APRIL FOOL’S JOKE. SORRY FOR RAISING ANYONE’S HOPES! **

Well, since we’re not having much luck with the movie these days, I’m pleased to announce another venture that will bring the classic show to life. As of this week, I have been brought on as Chief Creative Consultant on “FRAGGLE ROCK: THE MUSICAL.”

This show will be a live Broadway-length, music-filled extravaganza, performed by people and giant puppet costumes, ala Julie Taymor’s “The Lion King.” We thought it would be important to keep the element of puppetry, while at the same time giving our human performers the chance to fully shine and express themselves.

The movie has had some major hurdles, but Fraggle Rock has always been ideal for Broadway. It’s very musical, it has a colorful, non-real tone that makes it easy to leap to the Broadway stage. The producers (who I am not at liberty to reveal right now) want to take the music of the series and really “upgrade it” for a modern audience. So there is talk of bringing in a major dance/hip-hop producer to bring an “urban sensibility” to the Fraggles. Names discussed have been Will.I.Am., Usher, Justin Timberlake and Dr. Dre.

While the plot is under wraps at the moment, I can tell you that the general premise is that Doc rents his old house to a rock band, and they set up in his old lab to start rehearsing. The Fraggles are drawn up through their Fraggle hole by the music, and end up joining the band on a bus tour across the United States. This allows the show to stage lots of musical numbers in many settings and genres. There’s also strong interest in adding a NEW FRAGGLE to the core cast. Right now we’re calling him “KATAPPY,” the son of Cantus the Minstrel from the series. Katappy loves dance and the producers want to base him on Savion Glover. The plan is to have Katappy Fraggle played by the winner of the next “So You Think You Can Dance.” There will be a huge tie-in with the show this year. If all goes well, GOBO FRAGGLE will appear as one of the judges (look out, Mia Michaels! Who’s gonna have the craziest ‘do?).

Yes, rest assured there will be an ALL-GORG dance number and that Sprocket and Doc will do their own pots-and-pans solo, right out of the hit show “Stomp.”

This is all in the very early planning stages, but I wanted to at least announce this new venture today. I’m excited to be a part of the Fraggle Rock universe, whatever form it may take.  And if there’s anything we’ve all learned from “Spider-Man: Turn On The Dark,” it’s not to put anyone in a flying harness.

UPDATE: 10:30 pm

Thanks for indulging my silly attempts at an April Fool’s joke.  I hope I got some of you. If you want to buy a “Katappy” T-Shirt, they are $65.00.