NBC should do Billy Elliot Live! They wouldn't have to go through an trouble obtaining the rights since universal already owns it and it's a relatively known title. I think it could work.
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smidge said: "J Lo will be fine. It's not like they're asking her to sing Carmen.
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Exactly, but she will certainly need some coaching, she will need some work on sustaining notes and building a vibrato. She should get Jake G's vocal coach ASAP.
her performance in it and the infamous opening and closing segments where she sings the film's title song are iconic and part of pop culture history.
Oh, it does have its place among cinephiles, musical fans and adults of a certain age, but its pop culture iconography is nowhere near as enduring as Julie Andrews twirling on a mountain or John Travolta and the boys dancing on a car. If anyone attempts to recreate those scenes in the most basic of ways, they will be recognized by almost anyone in anywhere USA. Try that with the title song of Bye Bye Birdie and it will be recognized by almost anyone in a gay piano bar and maybe some retirement communities or probably the green rooms of community theatres in anywhere USA. Annie has had two Broadway revivals, countless national tours (one going on now), two feature films (one released in 2014), and the TV movie. It's pretty safe to say it has rarely abandoned a national presence, so even the youngest of kids know it and Grease has never really stopped being a hit on an global scale. I love Bye Bye Birdie...LOVE IT. But an iconic scene in the academic sense is not the same as a current presence among multiple generations in today's audiences. Unless you count that one episode of Mad Men. So no, I don't believe I am waaaaaay off base when considering what may be considered something overplayed to the point of being "safe" for a TV production given the audiences of today. Perhaps the world in which you live is entirely different. I wouldn't know.
"What can you expect from a bunch of seitan worshippers?" - Reginald Tresilian
I too am a fan of bye bye birdie...but oh dear this show is very much of the era. It's going to take a super talented directer to make birdie sing again. Do you think they would take on Bartlett Sher? I'm all for a new version. The film is fun, but dated. The abc film was pretty terrible, although I enjoyed vanessa williams and Tyne Daly. I very much like the idea of Jennifer Lopez. I think with the right direction she'll be fine. I am defintley in for Jake Gyllenhal as Albert as well. Although, I fear we may end up with the more obvious Neil Patrick Harris, who would be fine as well.
In my ideal world, this would be done on great performances directed by Ivan Van Hove....now that I would love to see.
ggersten- true, but they could easily edit the book to exclude the swears. Didn't pbs adjust it?
In our millions, in our billions, we are most powerful when we stand together. TW4C unwaveringly joins the worldwide masses, for we know our liberation is inseparably bound.
Signed,
Theater Workers for a Ceasefire
https://theaterworkersforaceasefire.com/statement
ljay889 said: "Zachary Levi would be an amazing choice for Albert.
I was just about to post the same thing. I know that they probably have to cast a big name as Birdie, but I can think of so many Broadway actors who could have fun with that role. Wesley Taylor comes to mind.
Harry Connick Jr. might be interesting and he and JLo have worked together before. I'm not sure if he could pull off the more pathetic aspects of Albert, but it's a thought.
Call Me Jorge wrote: NBC should do Billy Elliot Live! They wouldn't have to go through an trouble obtaining the rights since universal already owns it and it's a relatively known title. I think it could work.
Billy Elliot Live has been done and broadcast on PBS. The DVD and Blu-ray combined have sold about 13K copies. Sadly not impressive...
Not sure he would ever take out the time of his busy music career to do it (when not doing his own work, he writes and produces for many others) but the suggestion of Bruno for Birdie is brilliant. I fully endorse that.