Thing-Fish: Book and Lyrics for a New Musical

N.p. N.p., 1983. Draft manuscript for an unproduced musical by Frank Zappa, dated October 23, 1983. Rare.

Zappa's closest attempt to a stage production. His previously theatrical efforts included a book and lyrics for "Hunchentoot," a science fiction musical in 1972 (basis for his 1979 instrumental album "Sleep Dirt") and a proposed musical adaptation of William Burrough's 1959 novel "Naked Lunch" in the late 1970s, neither of which came to fruition.

"Thing-Fish" was released in 1984 as a triple-album box set, billed as a cast recording for the proposed musical. An outrageous 28-page photo sequence based on the "Briefcase Boogie" scene from the musical followed shortly thereafter, published in the April 1984 issue of "Hustler" magazine. Ultimately, Zappa was unable to raise the $5 million budget needed for the production, and the project was shelved.

Much of the music from "Thing-Fish" was previously recorded by Zappa, and appeared sporadically on his albums in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Dialogue from the musical also appeared on the song "Porn Wars," later released on the 1985 album "Frank Zappa Meets the Mothers of Prevention."

In 2003 an authorized but comparatively limited stage production of the musical was mounted by Stagecraft Entertainment in London, though many of Zappa's elaborate details were removed or changed due to budgetary constraints.

Conceived in the nascent days of the AIDS epidemic, Zappa's musical is based on the adventures of its lead character and narrator, "Thing-Fish" (a name derived from a character from the "Amos 'n Andy" radio and television show). Thing-Fish opens the play as an onstage narrator, telling the story of an evil prince (also a theatre critic) who has created a disease intended to eradicate African Americans and homosexuals. Instead, it turns its subjects into "Mammy Nuns," a minstrel-like chorus led by "Thing-Fish." The proceedings then evolve into a play-within-a-play, as the yuppie couple Harry and Rhonda, wander into the theater with the expectation of seeing a play akin to Andrew Lloyd Weber's "Cats" but instead find themselves assimilated into the play, where Harry has been turned gay by women's liberation and Rhonda is a woman evolved from an inflatable sex doll.

OCLC shows no holdings and auction records locate no previous copies on the market.

Clear mylar front wrapper, a second, toned mylar sheet under it (creating an offset titling effect). Blue rear card wrapper. Title page present, noted as October 23, 1983 edition, with credits for playwright Zappa. 85 leaves, with last page of text numbered 85. Xerographic Dot-matrix duplication, rectos only. Pages and wrapper Near Fine, red plastic Velo binding.

[Book #168911]