Next Live Show

phan24 said: "An idea that may not be too far from reality:
Legally Blonde Live! with Dove Cameron"

I like it. But, doesn't MTV has a piece of it... and that's Viacom/CBS?

Yes! I got to see a regional production of White Christmas a few years ago and it was spectacular. I'd be SO down for that.

broadwayboy2018 said: "Yes! I got to see a regional production of White Christmas a few years ago and it was spectacular. I'd be SO down for that."

What a coincidence I saw a regional production too over a year ago.

I said this in a different thread, but I think Little Shop would be a great choice. The music is really accessible to a non-Broadway crowd, it's family friendly enough, and they could get some great talent.

...I wouldn't argue with Jake Gyllenhaal reprising his City Center role. He killed it.

alright. looks like its gonna be a little dry on theatre news for a second so i wouldn't mind an announcement about the presumed holiday live musical, or if not that then whatever the next one will be. thanks. and maybe unrelated but kenny leon's shakespeare is done june 23 so. u know.

rg7759 said: "presumed holiday live musical, or if not that then whatever the next one will be."

I would not presume that there will be a holiday live musical. After the change in leadership at NBC, and after the awful ratings for RENT and other titles, they said they want to focus on bigger, four-quadrant family entertainments. Which I think translates to big title + big star (equivalent to Carrie Underwood in Sound of Music).

It and he didn't get great message board reviews in London, but Kelsey Grammer in Man of La Mancha? "Frasier sings?"

I'd love to see Norbert Leo Butz as Nicely Nicely, Zach Levi as Sky, Laura Benanti as Sarah, but I'm not sure Guys and Dolls is still in the broader American psyche.

I think we are too close to December 2019 for Oliver to be thought out and prepared. But 2020?

The best shows to do would be:

-Little Shop of Horrors in October (maybe Gyllenhaal would do it? If not, there are many good choices)

-The Music Man (either Seth MacFarlane or Stephen Colbert would be great)

-Guys and Dolls (so many great casting options)

-Singin in the Rain (Derek Hough almost did it on Broadway, he could do it)

-The Producers (Lane and Broderick probably too old, but they could cameo)

Probably needs to be a show that has wide appeal, is family friendly (G or PG rating), with popular songs (see Peter Pan for why this matters), and lots of opportunity for star casting...AND...which already have movies so that the rights might be more likely available (unless remakes are in the works like Guys and Dolls):

Les Miserables, Phantom of the Opera, Evita, Chicago, Mamma Mia, Little Shop, Oklahoma, The King and I, My Fair Lady, The Music Man, White Christmas, Cabaret (probably too raunchy for tv), Fiddler on the Roof, Annie, Hello Dolly, 42nd Street

Any others?

I believe many of you are quite delusional to think that anyone under the age of 70 would want o see any caliber performer in White Christmas. It is not a title of mass appeal, particularly for the much sought after 18-49 year old demographic.

The only way these shows will get the desired ratings is with performers with mass appeal and a bankable show title. No one wants to see Oliver! or Guys and Dolls. There may be some appeal for something like Little Shop of Horrors with a majorly famous cast, but no one is screaming to see any of the trunk musicals being bandied about here. I say scrap the Wicked movie and do it live, get some major stars and I can see massive ratings.

Hairspray "failed" because while it is a contemporary musical, it isn't a massively famous title, and it didn't have the star names it needed. The Wiz had the star quality cast it needed, but it's demographic was a primarily black audience. While everyone love A Christmas Story (the movie), I don't think many people were asking for a muisical version of it, and even if they were, it also didn't have the star popularity needed.

I think part of the problem with these live musicals is that they suffer from pacing. They can't go to quick cuts from scene to scene, and many musicals/plays more easily get away with these issues because much more is happening to grab the audience's attention uring these moments, whereas these live shows have nothing (no set or lighting effects, lack of underscoring, no audience energy feeding the actors or the at-home viewers, etc.).

I think HELLO DOLLY (with Queen Latifah, or Meagan Mullaley ?) could be a hit, as it seems to have an audience of all ages on its successful Broadway run. Not sure if it's possible with it's current tour.