Fox will broadcast a live version of the musical Grease in 2015, the network announced Monday. The special will air in 2015.
Grease Live will be produced by Paramount Television. Casting and creative team members have not been announced.
“From Broadway to film, and across generations, Grease is one of the most beloved musical stories ever told — and we can't wait to bring it to our air in a spectacular live event,” said Shana C. Waterman, senior VP of event series for Fox. “Its iconic characters and addictive songs make it the perfect fit for Fox, and we’re going to give it the kind of star power and production quality to make every Sandy, Danny, Rizzo and Kenickie out there want to get up and sing along.”
In December, NBC drew a 4.6 live-plus-same day rating among adults 18-49 and 18.5 million total viewers for its live production of The Sound of Music. The network announced a month later that it will broadcast a live version of Peter Pan this year.
“It’s incredibly exciting to have one of our first major network productions be based on this universally celebrated Paramount title,” said Amy Powell, president, Paramount TV.
Grease — with book, lyrics and music by Warren Casey and Jim Jacobs — was first mounted on Broadway in 1971. It was adapted by Paramount into the 1978 film starring starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John.
