Liv Ullmann is set to direct The Ghost Brothers of Darkland County, the forthcoming tuner by John Mellencamp and Stephen King, according to the actress-helmer. Ullmann announced her attachment to the project on a radio program in Sweden. The plot of “Ghost Brothers” centers on the legend of a 1957 tragedy that has haunted a small Mississippi town. There’s a ton more details about the project that can be found below.
There has been no official confirmation of the gig, and the timeline for the project remains up in the air. The musical was originally announced for the 2008-09 season at Alliance Theater in Atlanta but was later postponed indefinitely.
Although King’s website mentions a September bow for “Ghost Brothers” at the Alliance, a rep for the theater said no official plan to stage the musical has been confirmed.
Ullman, who frequently appeared in front of the camera under the direction of Ingmar Bergman, recently helmed the Sydney Theater Company production of “A Streetcar Named Desire.” Toplined by Cate Blanchett, that staging had a sellout run at the Brooklyn Academy of Music earlier this season.
In January a starry recording of “Ghost Brothers” was announced for a forthcoming release. Produced by T Bone Burnett, the package — including three CDs and a book — will feature Kris Kristofferson, Elvis Costello, Roseanne Cash, Neko Case, Sheryl Crow and Mellencamp, among others.
No release date for the recording has yet been announced.