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June 26th, 2008

Gina Gershon dreams of Broadway “Showgirls”

Posted by: Bob Tourtellotte

gershon1.jpgActress Gina Gershon, 46, dreams of the day when “Showgirls: The Musical” will play on Broadway — but she says it would not be the same story as 1995’s critically panned, box office flop “Showgirls” in which she portrayed a bisexual dancer.

Gershon is currently starring in the New York stage revival of comedy “Boeing-Boeing.” In a video interview at Broadway.com, Gershon mused about what kind of story the sexually explicit “Showgirls” could have in a stage production.

“‘Showgirls’ the Broadway musical was originally — I had an idea to do that, and I was talking to a couple of people to write it with me,” Gershon said.

“But it wouldn’t be ‘Showgirls’ as we know it, it would be ‘Showgirls’ as told by me, which really — you think ‘Showgirls’ was good? You should have seen what went on behind the scenes,” Gershon added.

gershon21.jpg“Showgirls” tells of a young woman who goes to Las Vegas to make it big on stage and finds herself in a sexually-charged world of Vegas showbiz. Rita Kempley at the Washington Post called it “an overcoat movie for men who don’t want to be seen going into a porno theater.” It earned only $20 million at box offices. But 13 years later, it has become a sort of cult hit for lovers of campy movies.

For now, critics who loathed ”Showgirls” can walk through Manhattan’s theater district without fear of seeing the title on a marquee. ”I haven’t gotten around to (writing) it, and I’m not sure if I’m going to get around to it because it’s funny in my brain but it will take a lot of time,” Gershon said.

This is not the first time someone associated with the movie has talked about bringing it to the stage. In 2006, screenwriter Joe Eszterhas told New York magazine he was planning a musical that “celebrates the over-the-top and campy nature” of the movie. The plan back then was for “Showgirls” the musical to open in Las Vegas.