Another Live TV Musical Will Ease on Down NBC’s Road

• DATE: April 1, 2015
• POSTED BY: Jessica Koslow
• CATEGORY: News

First, we covered the success of NBC’s first-ever live musical television event, The Sound of Music Live! Next up was Peter Pan Live! Now NBC has picked a third production to broadcast: The Wiz. Who will fill Diana Ross’s shoes — and incredible voice — as Dorothy, or replicate Michael Jackson’s fantastic dance moves as the Scarecrow?

Variety also reports that The Wiz will be co-produced by Cirque du Soleil’s new stage theatrical division, and Harvey Fierstein (Kinky Boots) will contribute new material to the original Broadway book by William F. Brown. And Cirque du Soleil is scheduled to present the Broadway revival of The Wiz for the 2016-17 season.

Fox is also singing the praises of live musical television events. It’s declared, “You’re the One That I Want” to Grease.

As Jim has written before — obscurity, not availability, is the enemy:

“For every potential ticket buyer for this show whose itch has been scratched by the TV broadcast, there are 100 who learned about it first and now want to see it sometime. And probably 1,000 who’d heard about it and had some level of interest, and they’re now actively thinking about the show.”

Read More: 

• The Sound of Audience
• Who Would Want to Keep Peter Pan in the Dark?
• Grease Is Coming Live to a TV Near You

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