NBC is going to have a new live musical in 2017!
Bob Greenblatt, NBC president, announced that the network will be taking the Tony Award-winning musical "Bye Bye Birdie" in December of next year, starring Jennifer Lopez to portray Rosie Alvarez and as executive producer as well. He made the announcement Thursday during an event honoring him at the Paley Center for Media in Los Angeles.
He added that Lopez was the one who came to them with the idea to do this particular show.
Originated by Chita Rivera in the show's first run on Broadway, the said character has also been played by Janet Leigh and Vanessa Williams in the two film versions of the musical.
"Bye Bye Birdie" got its inspiration from Elvis Presley, and tells a tale of a pop star, his manager Albert, and Albert's girlfriend Rosie as they plan a contest to find the girl who gets to kiss the pop star before he ships off to the army. E! Online adds that Dick Van Dyke originated the role of Albert in both the first Broadway run and the 1963 movie.
"Broadway musicals and films fueled my childhood and Bye Bye Birdie was one of my favorites," Lopez said. "I'm proud to be a part of the NBC family with Shades of Blue and I thought it would be a blast to take on one of their big live musicals."
Lopez will produce alongside her producing partners, Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas and Benny Medina, along with executive producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron. The adaptation will be written by Harvey Fierstein.
When asked about his efforts to bring back the art of the live musical, Greenblatt joked to CNN, "I selfishly did it because I wanted to do it."
"I just thought, 'This idea is really just something that will excite me, and I hope to God that it excites other people,'" he said.
Meanwhile, Lopez is currently an executive producer and star in cop drama "Shades of Blue" on NBC.
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