Entertainment
'Sound of Music Live' Success Might Inspire NBC to Order These 6 Other Musicals for TV
If you were effectively a salamander living under a rock for the last 10 days, firstly, ick, secondly, you might have missed that The Sound of Music Live! was a massive hit. The NBC spectacular starring Carrie Underwood aired on Thursday night and brought in a whopping 18.6 million viewers and probably twice as many live tweets. Accordingly, NBC has ordered more live musicals, the first to come in 2014.
According to an interview with The New York Times, NBC's chairman of Entertainment Robert Greenblatt sees a long future for Broadway classics on the small screen. "There may be a little bit of a phenomenon to the first one of these. Who knows what happens year two, three or four. But you’ve got to have events. I think we could do this again — and again and again.”
The catch is, of course, the programming has to be popular favorites that are oh-so family-friendly. So as much as we'd like to see The Book of Mormon or Hedwig and the Angry Inch, they're not the likeliest of choices. Here are our hopes for NBC's big Broadway future.
'West Side Story'
Let’s all be real here, it’s scientifically impossible to not be charmed by Bruno Mars. So catchy! So croon-y. And oh, oh YEAH YEAH OH YEAH YEAH YEAH ooohhh-ahh. Sorry, I got side-tracked there. We’d all watch the shit out of Bruno Mars as Tony and fall in love all over again with the star-crossed lovers.
'Gypsy'
Two words, four syllables (with excellent diction): PAT-TI LU-PONE.
'Oklahoma!'
In case you missed it, Hugh Jackman might actually be the creation of a mad (read: God-like) genius as is he a specimen of human perfection. Talented? Check. Kind? Check. Handsome? Check-ity check check. Can sing and dance as well as play a superhero? CHEEEECK. Jackman needs to revive his role in this Broadway classic just for the pure joy of seeing him click his cowboy heels LIVE. You can still stream his PBS performance, but it’s definitely time to bring us all back to Ooooooooooklahoma!
'Once Upon A Mattress'
First and foremost, how magical would it be to create a live fairytale Wonderland!? Secondly, Carol Burnett was the original Winnifred and ZOMG Kristen Wiig as the 2014 update. PLEASE, UNIVERSE. My theater geek heart can’t taaaaake this.
'Kiss Me Kate'
The Taming of the Shrew might be one of Shakespeare’s most problematic comedies, and the musical version Kiss Me Kate still plays into some of the tired gender roles of the original. It’s time we bring new power to the story and turn the tables. Ms. Hudson, that’s your cue.
'42nd Street'
America LOVES its dance shows, AMIRIGHT? Let’s bring the massive, glitzy, classic Broadway wonder that is 42nd Street starring Neil Patrick Harris and every contestant ever on Dancing With the Stars as the company members.
