The Bodyguard is a 2012 stage musical with a book by Alexander Dinelaris, based on the 1992 film The Bodyguard, with the score featuring songs recorded by Whitney Houston including "One Moment in Time", "I Wanna Dance with Somebody" and her pop version of Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You". The show began previews at the Adelphi Theatre in London's West End, on 6 November 2012, and officially opened on 5 December 2012.
Background The musical is based on the 1992 film The Bodyguard which starred and featured songs by Whitney Houston. The show was officially confirmed in February 2012, a few days after the singer's death, and following six years of development, producers confirmed the show would play London's Adelphi Theatre from November 2012. The show is written by Alexander Dinelaris, produced by Michael Harrison and David Ian directed by Thea Sharrock, set and costumes are designed by Tim Hatley, with lighting by Mark Henderson, sound by Richard Brooker, video projection by Duncan McLean, choreography by Arthur Pita, musical supervision and vocal arrangements by Mike Dixon and musical arrangements, orchestrations and underscore by Chris Egan.
The show's book by Alexander Dinelaris brings the story forward to present day and changes the focus of the story to bring the character of Rachel Marron to the forefront rather than the bodyguard. The script adapted from the original screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan also expands the role of Rachel Marron's sister Nicki. The stage musical like the original film features music by Whitney Houston which in addition to the original movie soundtrack adds the following additional Houston tracks: "So Emotional", "One Moment in Time", "Saving All My Love for You", "I'm Your Baby Tonight", "How Will I Know", "Oh Yes", "All the Man That I Need", "All at Once", and "I Wanna Dance with Somebody".
Following Whitney Houston's death, the show's star Heather Headley considered withdrawing from the role of Rachel Marron originated by Houston in the film. She later said "You don't want people to compare you to Whitney. I didn't want it before and especially not now after her passing. I want people to come in and say this is Heather's version - this is Heather playing Rachel Marron and singing Whitney songs. I am always trying to find a way to make them my own but still acknowledge and keep the integrity of her music."
Synopsis (current version) Act One Rachel Marron is one of the most famous singers around but is unaware that a stalker has been sending her deranged and disturbing death threats. She continues to perform while her manager searches for a bodyguard that can protect her ("Queen of the Night"). Frank Farmer is a former Secret Service Agent hired to serve as Rachel's bodyguard. Frank manages to get into Rachel's mansion without needing any clearance and explains that security needs to be heightened, but Rachel is oblivious to her stalker's threatening notes and believes that she is perfectly safe. Frank watches as Rachel rehearses one of her songs with her young ten-year-old son Fletcher ("How Will I Know"). Afterward, Frank is introduced to Rachel's existing bodyguard, Tony, who believes that he is good enough and that Rachel doesn't need Frank to protect her.
Rachel works on a new song with her sister, Nicki ("Greatest Love of All"). Meanwhile, Frank equips Rachel's mansion with security, and Fletcher imprints on him, looking up to Frank as a fatherly figure. Rachel sees them interacting and goes up to Frank and tells him that she doesn't want him to interact with her or her family. Frank leaves for the night to see Nicki perform at a small club. After performing, Nicki sits down with Frank and shares a drink with him. She tells him about her childhood band, and that after Rachel joined it became clear that there could only be one singer in the family. Frank gives a chilly Nicki his coat, and Nicki flirts with him, hoping to begin a romantic relationship with him ("Saving All My Love for You").
Sy, Rachel's music producer, pressures an angry Rachel to perform at a nightclub called the Mayan. Rachel ignores him and angrily vents about Frank, who won't let her go to Sunday Brunch. Frank tells Rachel that she can't do anything that she's normally done, like weekly Sunday Brunch. Rachel asks Frank if she can perform at the Mayan, but Frank tells her that it's too dangerous. In an effort to anger Frank, Rachel tells Sy to book the show at the Mayan.
The night of the show at the Mayan approaches and Rachel's stalker prepares to kill her. Rachel arrives at the Mayan to find a death threat in her dressing room. Frank reveals to Rachel that this isn't the first note and that a stalker is trying to kill her. Frank tells Rachel that they should leave, but Rachel declines, explaining that she doesn't want to be a coward. Rachel gets on stage and performs, but the stalker comes on stage and almost stabs her, before being thrown off stage by Frank. Frank swoops Rachel up into his arms and runs out of the club with her, saving her from death. ("Mayan Medley"). Back at home, both Rachel and Nicki wonder about their feelings for Frank ("Run To You").
Rachel begins to be more cautious and asks Frank out on a date since she can't leave the house unless he's with her. Frank reluctantly agrees, and the two go to a small karaoke bar, where a group of college girls performs a hilarious and broken rendition of "Where Do Broken Hearts Go". Rachel tries to figure out Frank's life and says that if she gets him figured out then he has to sing. Frank agrees and Rachel guesses incorrectly, but Frank decides to sing anyway. He goes up to the stage and sings a shaky rendition of Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You". Rachel goes up after him and surprises the audience as they realize that she is the real Rachel Marron. Rachel proclaims her love for Frank and the two embrace and share a passionate kiss ("I Have Nothing").
Act Two Rachel wakes up in bed next to a sleeping Frank, presumably after sex. Nicki sees this and grows jealous of her sister. Soon afterwards, Rachel works on a new song in the recording studio ("All the Man That I Need").
Frank later gets a call from his colleague Ray Court that he needs to break off his relationship with Rachel, explaining that the stalker followed them to the karaoke bar and stole Rachel's scarf. Frank tells Rachel that he was reckless and can't be romantically involved with a "client". Rachel is extremely mad and storms off. Frank comforts a troubled Fletcher by giving him a clearance badge for the night of the Oscars. Frank then leaves with Rachel for a benefit concert in Miami, Florida, where Rachel performs a splendid routine ("I'm Every Woman").
Frank checks in with the temporary bodyguard who is watching Nicki and Fletcher. Everything is presumably fine, but Frank is unaware that the temporary bodyguard is actually the stalker. The stalker tells Fletcher that he needs help with Rachel's "present", and Fletcher eagerly goes to help him. Nicki sits in her room thinking about her unrequited love for Frank, but upon going inside Fletcher's room she sees that he has disappeared and in his place on the bed is one of Rachel's dresses, stolen from her dressing room ("All At Once"). Nicki calls Frank and Rachel and they return home from Miami. Fletcher is alright, but the stalker took his clearance badge for the Oscars. Realizing that her son and sister are in as much danger as she is, Rachel tells Frank that she will do whatever he says if it will keep them protected. Frank has Rachel cancel the rest of her tour and the four of them travel to Frank's deceased parent's cabin ("Run To You (Reprise)"). Frank confides in Rachel that this cabin holds many memories and that he misses his parents, who he wishes he had spent more time with before they died. Frank watches happily as Rachel shares a tender moment with her sister and son ("Jesus Loves Me").
That night a drunken Nicki admits to Frank that she once wrote back to the stalker pretending to be Rachel in order to feel attention. Nicki now believes that it's her fault that all of this has happened, and Frank comforts her and promises to catch the stalker. Soon afterward the stalker breaks into the cabin and approaches Nicki. She believes that it's Frank, but screams in terror as the stalker fatally stabs her ("Nicki's Death"). Frank, Rachel and Fletcher run into the room and find Nicki on the ground. The stalker runs off and Frank chases after him, trying to shoot him down. Meanwhile, Rachel tries to keep her sister alive but weeps as she dies in her arms ("Jesus Loves Me (Reprise)").
Frank, Rachel and Fletcher return home. Frank comforts a fearful Fletcher and asks Rachel if she is still going to attend the Oscars. Rachel tells Frank about her and her sister's dream of winning an Oscar and decides to do it for her sister.
At the Oscars, Rachel performs "One Moment in Time" from the Oscar nominated film Queen of the Night that she co-wrote with Nicki. As she performs the stalker prepares to shoot her. Frank notices just in time and jumps in front of Rachel. He gets shot, and Rachel holds him in her arms, uttering the famous line, "Let him go, he's my bodyguard!".
Frank returns to the mansion sometime later, still recovering from a shot to the arm. Frank shares a tender goodbye with Fletcher and Rachel, who kisses him goodbye as they presumably go on another tour with a new bodyguard ("I Will Always Love You").
Encore After the final bows, the entire cast returns on stage to perform a spectacular rendition of the song "I Wanna Dance With Somebody".
Productions West End (2012–2014) The Bodyguard's premiere production opened in London's West End on 5 December 2012, following previews at the Adelphi Theatre from 6 November 2012. The production which initially was booking until April 2013, opening cast included Grammy and Tony Award winner Heather Headley as Rachel Marron, Lloyd Owen as Frank Farmer and Debbie Kurup as Nicki Marron. Ray Shell created the role of Bill Devaney, Rachel Marron's manager. A month after opening, booking was extended until 28 September 2013. Headley departed the show at the start of August with her alternate Gloria Onitiri taking over the role short term until 7 September 2013. From 9 September the show's first major cast change took place with soul artist Beverley Knight taking over the role of Rachel Marron and Tristan Gemmill as Frank Farmer. The show initially extended to March after Knight took over but later extended booking to 30 August 2014. In March 2014, producers announced that The X Factor winner Alexandra Burke would take over from Knight on 2 June. A typical London performance runs two hours and 25 minutes, including one interval of 20 mins.
The show closed at the Adelphi Theatre on 29 August 2014, to make way for Made in Dagenham having come to the end of its contract with the theatre. Commenting on the closure, producer Michael Harrison said, "We always knew we would have to leave the Adelphi to make way for another show and we looked at length for an alternative theatre as the business has been phenomenal. The only other theatre we could have moved to, and we rang more numbers than you could imagine, had 300 less seats. It's a big show, there are nearly 30 people in the company, a 10-piece orchestra, automation, more computers and technical staff than you can imagine, so it can't just run cheap and cheerfully like certain other West End shows."
UK, Ireland and Monaco tour (2015–2016)