David Bowie , who performed an alien in the cult classic film The Man Who Fell To Earth , has composed music for a new stage version in New York . The British musician long known for his experimentalism has written new songs and arranged older music for the production late this year at the New York Theatre Workshop . Based on the novel by Walter Tevis , the 1976 film starred Bowie as a humanoid who lands on Earth in search of water for his parched planet and becomes enamored with alcohol and television . Flashback : David Bowie is returning to The Man Who Fell To Earth by penning a new stage version and original songs for a production on New York 's Broadway later this year . The 1976 cult film marked his debut in movies . Cult classic : Bowie played an alien who was in search of water on Earth but fell in love with television . Bowie , 68 , is not expected to perform in the production , titled Lazarus , which he has written with award-winning playwright Enda Walsh , who wrote the hit Broadway musical Once . According to sources connected to the adaptation , it has been in the works for years . The show will be spearheaded by Dutch Ivo van Hove , who used Bowie 's music in one of his own productions last year . But the production team has cryptically refused to define it . 'It 's going to be a play with characters and songs - I 'm calling it music theater , but I do n't really know what it 's going to be like , I just have incredible trust in their creative vision , ' James Nicola , artistic director of New York Theater Workshop , told the New York Times . ' I 'm really excited about it . These are three very different sensibilities to be colliding . ' The Man Who Fell to Earth was the first movie for Bowie but he did not write the music amid contractual disputes , instead leaving the task to singer-songwriter John Phillips from The Mamas And The Papas . Adaptation : The movie was an adaptation of the Walter Tevis novel of the same name , published in 1963 . Tweaks : It is not clear what changes will be made in the stage version , Lazarus , by Bowie and Enda Walsh . It has been in the works for years , according to New York Theater Workshop artistic director James Nicola . New direction ? The team has refused to categorize the new production as either a play or a musical . Bowie has long been fascinated by space and science fiction , emerging on the scene in 1969 with his astronaut anthem Space Oddity and later writing the probing Life On Mars ? Bowie studied acting and is known for his portrayal on Broadway in 1980-81 of severely deformed Englishman Joseph Merrick in The Elephant Man . Bowie , 68 , kept quiet for a decade before releasing the album The Next Day in 2013 . He last year released the career-spanning collection Nothing Has Changed with new material .
Bowie , 68 , starred as an alien enamored by TV and alcohol in the 2015 film . He has written new songs and arranged older music for 1976 production . The musician is not expected to perform in the show late this year . Bowie did not write the music for the original amid contractual dispute .