The Seven Basic Plots of 2018

I recently matched last season's musicals with Chris Booker's "Seven Basic Plots." I thought I'd do the same for the scheduled musicals of the coming season and a few still in development.

Overcoming the Monster - Protagonist must defeat an antagonistic force to save themselves and/or their homeland.

• Spongebob Squarepants vs. the volcano.
• Beetlejuice. Ghosts vs. the living.
• The Devil Wars Prada? This could also be a rebirth or rags to riches journey of the young heroine. Rebirth's a common theme next year as we'll soon see.

Rags to Riches - Protagonist achieves success only to lose it and grow as a person.

• Mean Girls maybe?

The Quest - Protagonist and companions travel towards a place or object. They overcome obstacles on the way.

• Spongebob's journey to the volcano.

Voyage and Return - The protagonist travels to a strange land, overcomes adversity, and returns home changed.

• The Band's Visit which tells of an Egyptian band giving a concert in Israel.
• Frozen as Anna and Elsa leave and return to Arrandale.
• Hadestown

Comedy - A messier definition than the others. Protagonist overcomes adverse circumstances that grow increasingly complex till a "clarifying event" resolves it.

• No immediate candidates. Maybe Beetlejuice again?

Tragedy - The protagonist is brought down by a fatal flaw.

• The revival of Once on This Island. 
• Beaches
• King Kong the Musical. Twas critics killed the beast.

Rebirth - An important event forces the protagonist to change their ways and become a better person.

• The revival of Carousel could be seen as a tragedy or a story of rebirth.
• The revival of My Fair Lady sees the rebirth of both Henry and Eliza. 
• Gettin' the Band Back Together. Playbill sums it up as a "new musical about an investment banker who loses his job and decides to restart his life by reorganizing his high school rock band." There've been a lot of band themed shows lately. 
• The jukebox musical Escape to Margaritaville focuses on a slacker protagonist and the sensible woman who changes him. (Those who hate jukebox musicals are free to classify this as a tragedy).
• 13 Going on 30. We've done the body swap film adaptation with Big the musical and Freaky Friday the musical. Didn't see those? Well here's 13 Going on 30!
• 17 Again. But wait. There's another body swap film with a number in the title that we can adapt. This time it's an adult who wants to be a teen! But only if he's a teen who looks like a 22 yr old Zac Efron. 
• The Bodyguard. 

Shows I couldn't fit.

• The Hal Prince revue The Prince of Broadway. 
• Archie the Musical. No word on what the plot will be. Maybe a sexy murder mystery like Riverdale! Or the zombie filled horror of Afterlife with Archie! Nah. It'll probably stick to the love triangle. Maybe something about their band. Bands are big next season.