At first glance, the Terminator franchise didn’t seem to be crying out for the musical treatment. While the series has some notable music cues, there aren’t many obvious opportunities for song and dance numbers. However, the recent viral success of Alien: The Play perhaps influenced Austin playwright Breanna Bietz to try her hand at creating Terminator: The Musical.
It’s worth mentioning that this is not an ambitious attempt to recreate James Cameron’s gritty futuristic look and special effects on a shoestring budget. Instead, the official logline reads as so:
A musical parody based on the James Cameron hit 80s thriller Terminator and 90s blockbuster counterpart T2: Judgment Day. Come explore L.A.’s sexiest time-travel conundrum with face-melting song-and-dance numbers only fit for back alley Broadway! Featuring explosive original songs sure to make you say ‘I’ll be back.. to see this shiz again!'”
The trailer for the musical (above) gives a good sense of what to expect from the final show. Favorite moments include the lament ‘I terminate, that’s what I do’ and ‘machines need love too!’, while the clip also showcases some decidedly 1980s fashion choices and lo-fi effects.
The cast of characters includes franchise mainstays Sarah Connor, John Connor and Kyle Reese, as well as the T-800 and T-1000. Although there will reportedly be some PG-13 and R-rated content, the minimalist nature of the sets suggest a focus on tongue-in-cheek songs.
Those in the Austin, Texas area can see whether Bietz and her team pull it off from Friday May 3rd at the Fallout Theater. Terminator: The Musical will then run on subsequent weeks every Friday and Saturday until May 25th. With Terminator: Dark Fate generating some early buzz as a return to form for the often-troubled franchise, this could be a very good year for fans of both the Terminator series and parody musicals.
