FOX has announced the airdate for A Christmas Story, the network’s next live musical event. Maya Rudolph has been cast as Ralphie’s mother. More casting news to come. From the official press release:
FOX’s next live musical event, A Christmas Story, will air Sunday, Dec. 17 (7:00-10:00 PM ET live/PT tape-delayed) LIVE on FOX. From Warner Horizon Unscripted Television, the three-hour live television event, inspired by the holiday classic feature A Christmas Story and the Tony Award-nominated Broadway production A Christmas Story: The Musical, will be executive-produced by award-winning film, television and theater producer Marc Platt (Grease: Live, La La Land). The epic adaptation will be filmed at the historic Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank.
Emmy Award nominee Maya Rudolph (“Saturday Night Live,” Bridesmaids) will star as the mother of nine-year old “Ralphie Parker.” Additional casting information to be announced soon.
Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, recent Tony Award winners for the musical Dear Evan Hansen, and lyricists of La La Land’s Academy Award-winning song, “City of Stars,” also scored A Christmas Story: The Musical, and will compose several new songs for the LIVE television event, with Jonathan Tolins and Robert Cary (Grease: Live) adapting the book.
A Christmas Story: The Musical was nominated for three Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Original Score (Pasek and Paul) and Best Book of a Musical. The original Broadway production of A Christmas Story: The Musical opened Nov. 19, 2012. Based on the writings of Jean Shepherd, the book was written by Joseph Robinette, with music and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul.
The musical was based on the motion picture A Christmas Story, written by Jean Shepherd, Leigh Brown and Bob Clark, and the novel “In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash” by Jean Shepherd. The now-classic 1983 feature film, which became a sleeper hit, has since taken on a new life, along with growing critical acclaim, to become a perennial holiday favorite beloved by families and kids of all ages.
A Christmas Story will be produced by Warner Horizon Unscripted Television & Alternative Television. Marc Platt and Adam Siegel will executive-produce, with Jonathan Tolins and Robert Cary (Grease: Live, “Anything but Love,” Ira & Abby) serving as co-executive producers and writers. Benj Pasek and Justin Paul will compose music and lyrics for the event.
FOX is also set to adapt the iconic musical Rent into a live television event. Both NBC and ABC have postponed/cancelled previously scheduled live musicals, Bye Bye Birdie and The Little Mermaid. FOX will just have to hold the live musical fort for now.
