Entertainment

Bill & Hillary Clinton Musical Headed to the U.S.

by Kenya Foy

Lately, Bill and Hillary Clinton's relevancy appears to be just as connected to pop culture and entertainment as it is to politics. Katy Perry wants to write Hillary's campaign theme song and Shonda Rhimes wants Bill Clinton on Scandal . Now a musical that explores the experiences of the Clintons in the White House is set to make its U.S. debut. The aptly titled Clinton begins July 18 and will include a week of performances at the New York Musical Theatre Festival. Along with the Clintons, the show's other characters include Eleanor Roosevelt, Newt Gingrich, Dick Morris, Kenneth Starr and, of course, Monica Lewinsky. The show had a successful run overseas, earning a nomination for best new musical at the 2012 Edinburgh Festival Fringe and went on to London's King's Head Theatre in 2013. But will it receive the same warm, fuzzy reception upon its stateside arrival? Per the show's synopsis, Clinton will focus on the facets of Bill Clinton's personality and more:

It's hard enough being president by yourself. Bill Clinton's problem is that there are two of him. Literally. Clinton follows two Bill Clintons and Hillary on their quest to save their presidency, change America and prove that 'politics is show business for ugly people.'

As scandalous as Clinton's time in office was, is a Clinton musical sort of like beating a dead horse? Perhaps to some, but the fact that Monica Lewinsky is still popular enough to find her way onto the pages of Vanity Fair may be a clue that we haven't quite gotten enough of rehashing the Clinton-era scandals. For the sake of a U.S. audience that is all-too familiar with all things Clinton, let's hope the show finds a unique way to revisit some of the couple's White House struggles and triumphs.

With any luck, the audience will praise what Clinton has to offer and sing along with its tunes, instead of tuning it out altogether.