Birmingham Native Co-Creates The ‘Bridgerton Musical’
Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear.
Abigail Barlow, a singer-songwriter from Mountain Brook, is using her musical skills to transform one of Netflix’s top TV shows into a musical.
The show ‘Bridgerton‘ is the first project of Shondaland, a production company by Shonda Rhimes, an American television producer who wrote ‘Grey’s Anatomy,’ ‘Scandal,’ and ‘How To Get Away With Murder.’
The period romance is narrated by Julie Andrews and follows eight close-knit siblings of the prestigious Bridgerton family as they look for love and happiness in London high society. This week Barlow told BBC Radio “I was just so inspired on a different level of someone else’s creativity. I thought, immediately, ‘Well, this could be something that I could see on stage.”
Bridgerton’s anachronistic soundtrack, which features dozens of pop songs like Ariana Grande’s “thank u, next” and Billie Eilish’s “bad guy,” inspired Barlow and led her down the pop musical rabbit-hole.
“They have a lot of pop music set to strings. They have modernized music with classical sensibilities, and it created an entire theme, an entire vibe around the show that made it all the more interesting as [for] me, someone who loves pop music, to watch,” said Barlow.
So she started creating – writing and composing alongside her partner, Emily Bear. Barlow, who has a mass following on TikTok, posted videos of her singing the songs she and Bear wrote to the social media platform, dubbing it #BridgertonMusical.
@abigailbarlowww ♬ original sound – Abigail Barlow
The musical concept took off garnering support from lovers of the show. The ‘Bridgerton Musical’ community has since adapted Barlow and Bear’s project into Playbill art, choreographed dances, set designs, production and merchandise ideas. Some singers have even “stitched” their vocals with Barlow’s.
@nick_t_daly #duet with @abigailbarlowww my formal application to be the duke of bridgertontok. #singing #bridgerton #simon
♬ original sound – Abigail Barlow
@elchoreography If I Were A Man
♬ original sound – Abigail Barlow@abigailbarlowww @emilythebear @bridgertonmusical #bridgertonmusical #bridgertonnetflix #bridgerton #bridgertontiktok #fyp
But this isn’t Barlow’s first major project. She’s been writing, producing and singing her own music since she moved to L.A. at 18 years old.
Her song, “Heartbreak Hotel,” cracked the top 10 on the iTunes Pop Charts in September and she released her first EP in August 2020, cowriting with pop singer Meghan Trainor.
Growing up, Barlow received her musical training in local theater productions throughout Birmingham including Red Mountain Theatre Company, which has trained performers ranging from Broadway’s Jordan Fisher and Nick Burroughs to TV actress and “Wendy’s girl” Morgan Smith.
So what’s next for the ‘Bridgerton Musical?’ Barlow and Bear are continuing to write and produce new music, posting daily livestreams to TikTok of their creative process.
“It’ll probably end up being a concept album that maybe possibly for pitch when theaters open back up?” said Barlow. “Who knows, I’m writing something new every day.”
Editor’s Note: Miranda Fulmore is an alumna of Red Mountain Theatre Company and has performed alongside Barlow.
South Korea halts propaganda broadcasts along border with rival North
The South resumed the daily loudspeaker broadcasts in June last year in retaliation for North Korea flying trash-laden balloons toward the South in a psychological warfare campaign.
Immigration enforcement ramps up, tensions persist in big cities
Cities prepare for nationwide protests on Saturday.
Federal judge says he could release Mahmoud Khalil as soon as this week
Judge Michael Farbiarz said the government cannot keep Khalil detained based on its accusation that he threatens U.S. foreign policy goals. But the judge gave the government time to appeal.
RFK Jr. names new slate of vaccine advisers after purging CDC panel
Two days after firing vaccine experts who help set the nation's immunization policies, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has picked eight successors for the CDC panel.
Leaders of ‘orgasmic meditation’ company were convicted of forced labor: What to know
OneTaste billed itself as a sexual wellness business centered on "orgasmic meditation." Prosecutors said former leaders subjected victims to sexual and emotional abuse.
LA braces for Marines as California sues to stop military involvement
With the federalized National Guard deployed against the state's wishes and the Marines on the way to L.A., there are growing concerns about the policing role of the military.
