Caligula the musical??? Fantastic.

I LOVE reading about the era of the Ceasars, particularly Augustus, Tiberius, and Caligula. (If you want a thoroughly entertaining, outstandingly acted thirteen hours of entertainment rent the miniseries "I, Claudius" immediately.) I also confess to having a morbid fascination with the 1979 film version of "Caligula" starring Malcolm McDowell, Helen Mirren, Peter O'Toole and John Gielgud. This notorious flop featured a-list actors who were later joined on screen by Penthouse Pets, and whose scenes of artistic integrity were edited to be interspersed with scenes of flat out pornography. In spite of that, Caligula's story remains fascinating. He was a spoiled brat, son of a celebrated war hero and a brown noser of the nth degree. When his uncle, the emperor Tiberius, was doing away with the majority of Caligula's family, Caligula remained Tiberius' right hand man and was eventually named heir to the Roman throne. Tiberius was much disliked by the people, and when he finally died (at Caligula's hand, no less), the citizens rejoiced. But after becoming violently ill and teetering close to death, Caligula became convinced he had been reborn a God. He abused his power in the sickest ways possible-pronouncing torturous death sentences for no reason, opening a brothel in the royal palace, spending the country into the ground, and even fornicating with his own sisters. After four years he was assassinated.

This could make a fantastic musical. And now hopefully it will. A reading of the new musical "Caligula" by Eric Svejcar will take place in July at an invitation only reading in New York. Press notes describe it as follows:

[Caligula]"is placed in an ancient rock-and-roll theatre somewhere between the years 41 and 1973 (or perhaps both simultaneously). This particular ancient theatre just happens to somehow have electricity, a bitchin' sound system, a light show, a rock band, and costumes more in the world of Ziggy Stardust than Julius Caesar. History's most notorious tyrant takes the audience on a musical journey of murder, sensuality, heartbreak, world domination, immortality, and absurdly unmitigated ego."

Sounds a teensy bit ridiculous but I'm anxious to see how this one pans out. For in truth, the story itself is ridiculous. Caligula was lavish and outrageous and to create a musical that does not incorporate these elements would be a waste. What other theatrical genre gives you the excuse to play up the outlandishness? It will be tricky, however, to balance that outlandishness with truth...this may not be possible, in which case the show could just end up being a comedy. We shall see. The rock score interests me as well--is it used as a link between modern day and ancient history? If so, why stop at 1973, as described in the press release? What will make this relevant to today's audiences? Will it be funny and ridiculous or will it be dramatic and gut wrenching? It seems the creators will have had to choose one or the other....