NBC Entertainment chairman Robert Greenblatt says that they are currently looking at several Broadway titles for the holidays next year.
- Dec 10, 2013
AceShowbiz - NBC will follow up "The Sound of Music Live!" with another live musical production next year. Robert Greenblatt, the chairman of NBC's entertainment division, says in an interview with New York Times that the network is planning a similar holiday program for 2014 after the Carrie Underwood starrer posted huge ratings.
Greenblatt says they are "circling a couple of titles" of family-friendly Broadway classics with a lot of familiar songs. He goes on gushing, "All weekend, people have been calling us and emailing us. Rights holders of musicals have said, 'Please do one of our shows.' We're excited to try it again."
The live musical production could be a new tradition on NBC as Greenblatt says, "There's enough to do a handful of these over the next years, if we keep increasing the learning curve." He adds, "There may be a little bit of a phenomenon to the first one of these. Who knows what happens Year 2, 3 or 4. But you've got to have events. I think we could do this again - and again and again."
Neil Meron and Craig Zadan, who executive produced "Sound of Music Live!", will be back in charge for the next project. Greenblatt believes this time they won't need time as long as needed for the December 5 special to prepare since "we know a lot about how to do it." He explains, "We worked on this one for at least 18 months. Now that we have done it once, we don't need 18 months again."
"Sound of Music Live!" drew 18.6 million viewers last Thursday night, topping any programs in other big networks during the three-hour broadcast. It also marks the biggest number of audience for any entertainment show on NBC this season.
