Attack of the 90s

"Wannabe" on Broadway?: The Spice Girls reunite to announce their new musical

Spice Girls 2012
Spice Girls circa 1997

Stop everything you're doing, Anyone Who Was Alive in the 90s, and do a secret happy dance in your chair. The Spice Girls are giving us what we want — what we really, really want.

The five original members of England's favorite girl group EVER took a stage together for the first time in five years to announce that they will be relevant again thanks to a new musical loosely based on their lives coming to London later this year.

Gloriously entitled Viva Forever, the musical will follow the rise of four friends whose relationships are strained when sudden pop stardom hits.

What! Revolutionary! How do these geniuses know what it is that we want more than anything we've ever wanted but never spoken aloud?!

The musical will include Broadway-sized renditions of all of their decade-defining, chart-topping songs, so now we can get the closure we always needed when Geri Halliwell (Ginger Spice) left the group and abruptly ended the era of 3rd Wave Girl Power in 1998.

Songs like "Wannabe," "Spice Up Your Life," and "2 Become 1" will of course be in the show, which is named after the last perfectly schmaltzy song the band released before Ginger's departure.

The great news for fans of the group and their bizarre meta-movie, Spice World, is the creative team behind the upcoming musical, which will be unleashed upon London in December.

The brilliant Jennifer Saunders, co-creator and star of the BBC One hit, Absolutely Fabulous, is in charge of the writing for the show. And Judy Craymer — who brought us the over-the-top charm and nostalgic indulgence of Broadway's Mamma Mia — is producing this venture as well.

The cast has not been revealed yet, but according to Melanie Brown (Scary Spice), "They sing [our songs] better than us." (What! No! How?!) Just think: Maybe the person cast as Posh Spice will actually sing! The possibilities are endless!

While it is unclear whether or not Ginger, Sporty, Scary, Posh and Baby will be performing in any of these shows, forever fans can hold on to hope that they will be making special encore performances at a few given shows.

Because, let's be honest, this is going to be huge and schmaltzy and hysterical and awesome in every single way.

Zig-a-zig-ah.

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tune in

Interactive art space Meow Wolf broadcasts Texas opening, radio theme

Photo by Tarick Foteh

Travel to another dimension at Meow Wolf.

Art-loving Texans will soon have a new venue to explore. Houston’s Meow Wolf has set its opening date and revealed the theme that governs its interactive installations.

Set to open on October 31, Houston’s Meow Wolf will be called Radio Tave — a riff on “radio wave.” Described in press materials as a radio station that’s been transported to another dimension, Meow Wolf visitors will be able to explore dozens of rooms filled with interactive elements such as hidden doors, paths, and portals.

For those unfamiliar, Meow Wolf is a Santa Fe, New Mexico-based art collective that’s opening its fifth installation in Houston’s Fifth Ward. Think of it as a choose your own adventure contemporary art museum loaded with sculptures, murals, video, and light and sound artworks that each contribute a small piece of the overall theme.

Towards that end, Radio Tave will be stocked with a mix of characters — some created for the venue and others that nod to Meow Wolf’s installations in four other U.S. cities, including the Dallas suburb of Grapevine. That includes a radio station with the call letters ETNL and its own slogan, “Big Sounds From Little Thicket.” As seen in the photos above, the radio station already has a website with a placeholder page.

“Houston is a powerhouse of creativity, and our artists and collaborators have been channeling that electric energy into this exhibition for years,” Meow Wolf CEO Jose Tolosa said in a statement. “They've taken it to the next level, capturing the city's vibrancy in every corner of the experience. We can't wait for you to step inside and explore it for yourself.”

As CultureMap has previously reported, a diverse ensemble of more than 50 contributing artists from Texas has collaborated with Meow Wolf’s in-house artist team to bring the facility to life. The list of local creative superstars included such well know artists as innovative theatrical set and puppet designer Afsaneh Aayani, art activist Kill Joy, and two longtime pillars of Houston’s installation and immersive art community in Dan Havel and Dean Ruck of Havel Ruck Projects.

"The visuals and soundscapes of Radio Tave are on another level,” senior creative producer Susie Cowan added. “Visitors will be immersed in a rich, multi-sensory experience that invites them to explore a world that feels both vast and deeply personal."

Meow Wolf Cowboix Hevvven jukebox Cowboix Hevvven's jukebox will feature 30 tracks recorded by Texas artists. Photo by Kate Russell

Meow Wolf will feature a venue space, a gift shop, and Cowboix Hevvven, a dive bar-inspired bar and restaurant that will offer “otherworldly Texan hospitality and comfort food.” Cole Bee Wilson, a fifth generation Texan and Meow Wolf’s lead artist, took the lead in creating Cowboix Hevvven. True to the venue’s theme, it will feature a jukebox with 30 songs created by Texas artists for Meow Wolf.

Annual season passes are currently on sale for $84. They include unlimited visits to the venue and perks such as a 10-percent discount at both the gift shop and Cowboix Hevvven.

Subscribers to Meow Wolf’s email list may purchase single-day passes beginning September 24. General tickets will go on sale October 1.

Photo by Tarick Foteh

Travel to another dimension at Meow Wolf.

meow wolf openings visual-art