Author note: Apologies for missing last week, I was in Nashville for a work trip and completely forgot to write something. Enjoy this… whatever it is.

The idea came to me (as most of my ideas do) suddenly and pretty much out of nowhere.

I was working on writing my book when I got a flash of inspiration. What if I wrote a musical instead? And specifically, what if it was Top Gun: The Musical?

I have seen Top Gun: Maverick approximately 5 times in full and I’ve probably started it another 5-10 times. I don’t know if it’s Glen Powell or if it’s a good movie, but it became my comfort movie for a while and my top choice of movie for when I fly Delta. Something about going Mach 10 in the movie while in a plane really hits, ya know??

I think you can probably blame the improv class I’m taking for such a genius idea. We’re supposed to be saying YES so that’s what I’m doing!! Unfortunately I have only written two lines and deleted one because it was terrible. It was: “Pete Mitchell is his name, and flying planes is his game.” I’m better than that!!! Hopefully. I’ve never written a piece of music, let alone a 2 act musical. The closest I’ve come is various haikus.

But I’m not gonna let that stop me!! Talk to me, Goose (Reprise) will be the emotional hit every musical needs. (Example lyric: Every now and then I miss you, Goose. I look back and you’re not there, Goose.) (Ugh I am about to record a voice note so you can hear what I think it should sound like). Or maybe it could be a jukebox musical, using that dumb beach scene song from One Republic. The possibilities are truly endless. Unless Tom Cruise has some weird copyright claims over Top Gun. Don’t know, don’t care!

And why stop at Top Gun? I was thinking Timothée Chalamet: The Musical will practically write itself. (Example lyric: Marty Supreme, Marty Supreme - he plays ping pong even in his dreams.)

How You Like Them Apples: A Ben Affleck and Matt Damon Musical is so perfect I am practically foaming at the mouth at my own genius willingness to be unhinged.

Anyway, this is all to say - everything is a musical if you try hard enough. Watch this space for more.

What do they say? DM for collabs?

<3 Martha