Troubie or Not Troubie

My recent joyous experience at the Troubadour Theatre's The Comedy of Aerosmith has spawned a terrible new habit: When I'm bored (occasionally—zounds!—this happens while I'm watching a show), I try to think of new Shakespearean/pop-music combos.

At least, that's what I did during a recent theatrical trial (which shall remain nameless), and I had so much fun I thought I'd share my doodlings with you (and with any Troubies who may read this—all I ask in return are some comps to your next show).

Ok, the Troubies have never done a Beatles show, nor have they done Hamlet, so I thought of two titles along these lines: I Wanna Hold Your Hamlet and Hamlet It Be. Other Beatles titles that might work with Shakespeare plays the Troubies have yet to do are Sgt. Pepper's Love's Labour's Lost Club Band, Magical Mystery Tempest, and Othello Submarine. (Yes, I know the Troubies' wont is to use the band's name in the title, but I figure with the Fab Four they can make an exception.) Another notion for the Great Dane is Hamlet, Prince of Paisley Park. I think Matt Walker has mentioned Paul Simon of Athens to me before, but Simon & Garfunkel of Athens could work just as well. And while I know the Troubies have done a show called simply Shrew!, what about The Taming of the Who? And for an '80s flashback show, there's the groaner title Two Gentlemen of My Sharona. For a popular history play I had two ideas: Hendrix the Fifth or Hank the Fifth (with the music of Hank Williams, natch). And while I'm stretching, I couldn't resist the title Coolio Caesar, even if that particular rapper's song catalog isn't deep enough to sustain a show (though I can't shake the image of "Gangstas Paradise" in togas). If they ever try on some Greek classics, there's the inevitable Electra Light Orchestra.

Enough of that for now. You'll find that once you start this parlor game it's hard to stop. I welcome your suggestions, dear readers.