In 1997 the Turner Classic Movie channel aired The Unknown, a rediscovered 1927 silent film by Tod Browning, who later directed the more controversial Freaks. Employing real circus freaks and Hollywood film stars, such as a young Joan Crawford, Browning walked a fine line between exploiting and celebrating the oddities of the entertainment business. New York Musical Theatre Festival and Page 73 Productions have attempted to bring the film to the musical stage, cleverly titling it The Unknown: A Silent Musical. Although numerous musicals have spotlighted the desperate lives of carny folk (Side Show, Applause, and Wild Party, to name a few), The Unknown offers something the others can't
A Joan Crawford Musical
