Crockett Johnson's 1955 children's book Harold and the Purple Crayon, about a young boy who uses a magical crayon to create the world around him, is being developed into a Broadway-aimed stage musical, the project will be produced by Jagged Little Pill producer Vivek J. Tiwary's Tiwary Entertainment Group (TEG+), and will feature original songs by indie pop group AJR members Jack and Ryan Met. The project has not yet found a book writer.
The titular Harold will be transformed from the book's four-year-old little boy into a young adult facing real-life problems, many of which may fall outside the abilities of that magical crayon.
“We adored Harold and The Purple Crayon growing up, and we thought: what if we saw Harold as a young adult, realizing that his problems are too profound to simply draw away," says the Mets in a statement. “Vivek’s incredible musical work and his passion for this idea made him the perfect partner for the reimagining of the classic story.”
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"The first time I heard AJR, I was struck by the theatricality of their hit songs," adds Tiwary. "To be collaborating with AJR in adapting a classic and beloved story as Harold and the Purple Crayon into a modern musical is quite literally this fanboy's dream come true."
Tiwary's TEG recently re-branded as TEG+ with an equity investment that will newly allow the company to working with top tier music artists on creating narrative entertainment across many mediums. The company also recently named stage and film producer Elie Landau TEG+'s chief operating office. Landau joins the company after producing Broadway's Meteor Shower and the upcoming revival of Funny Girl, along with the documentary film Paper Clips.
