FOX PARTNERS WITH WARNER HORIZON UNSCRIPTED TELEVISION
FOR THE LIVE MUSICAL PRODUCTION
“A CHRISTMAS STORY”
Award-Winning Producer Marc Platt to Executive-Produce the LIVE Holiday Event,
Inspired by the Beloved Feature Film “A Christmas Story” and
the Tony Award-Nominated “A Christmas Story: The Musical”
Tony Award Nominees Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (“Dear Evan Hansen”)
to Write Several New Songs for the LIVE TV Event;
Jonathan Tolins and Robert Cary (GREASE: LIVE) to Adapt Book
Fox Broadcasting Company and Warner Horizon Unscripted Television have partnered with award-winning film, television and theater producer Marc Platt (GREASE: LIVE, “La La Land”) on the LIVE musical event A CHRISTMAS STORY, inspired by the holiday classic feature “A Christmas Story” and the Tony Award-nominated Broadway production “A Christmas Story: The Musical.” The three-hour live television production of A CHRISTMAS STORY will air this December on FOX.
Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, recent Tony Award nominees 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’ is one of the most beloved holiday films of all time – audiences have made a yearly ritual of re-watching it – and we are so thrilled to have Marc leading the charge in bringing the musical version of that film to television,” said David Madden, President, Entertainment, Fox Broadcasting Company. “The extraordinarily gifted Pasek and Paul were instrumental in transposing the movie to the stage, and we believe the transition to LIVE television event will be just as entertaining for viewers.”
“I can’t believe how incredibly lucky we are to have Marc Platt producing this iconic Christmas classic,” said Mike Darnell, President, Warner Bros. Unscripted & Alternative Television. “Marc is the defining voice in this genre and it’s amazing to have this caliber of talent leading what is sure to be a new standard in live musical events.”
“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. Marc Platt and Adam Siegel will executive-produce, with Jonathan Tolins and Robert Cary serving as co-executive producers and writers. Benj Pasek and Justin Paul will compose music and lyrics for the event.
About Marc Platt
Platt is the Emmy Award-winning producer of FOX’s GREASE: LIVE. He is also an Academy Award-nominated producer, most recently for director Damien Chazelle’s “La La Land” and Steven Spielberg’s “Bridge of Spies.” Platt has developed some of the most successful film, theater and television projects of the last 30 years. His film resume includes such titles as “Legally Blonde,” “Into the Woods,” “Drive,” “Rachel Getting Married,” “Scott Pilgrim” and “Wanted.” He is also the producer of the Broadway mega-hit “Wicked,” which has been seen by more than 50 million fans worldwide and globally has racked up $4 billion. A former film executive, Platt served as president of production for three movie studios, where he oversaw box office and critical successes, including “Philadelphia,” “Rudy,” “As Good As It Gets,” “Legends of the Fall” and “The Silence of the Lambs.”
About Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company (FOX), a unit of 21st Century Fox, is home to some of the highest-rated and most acclaimed series on television, including EMPIRE, THE MICK, LETHAL WEAPON, LUCIFER, GOTHAM, 24: LEGACY, THE LAST MAN ON EARTH, NEW GIRL, BROOKLYN NINE-NINE, STAR, THE SIMPSONS, FAMILY GUY, BOB’S BURGERS, HELL’S KITCHEN, MASTERCHEF, MASTERCHEF JUNIOR and SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE; as well as new event series SHOTS FIRED and PRISON BREAK. FOX airs 15 hours of primetime programming a week, as well as major sports and Sunday morning news. Through the FOX NOW app, FOX viewers can watch full episodes of their favorite FOX shows on a variety of digital platforms, while enjoying enhanced interactive and social capabilities around those shows. Download the FOX NOW app at www.fox.com/foxnow. To watch primetime programming live on the web, visit www.fox.com/live. “Like” FOX on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FOXTV and follow the network on Twitter @FOXTV. For additional information about FOX, please visit www.fox.com.
About Warner Horizon Unscripted Television
Warner Horizon Unscripted Television is one of the entertainment industry’s leading producers of primetime reality series for both network and cable. A division of Warner Bros. Unscripted & Alternative Television, led by Mike Darnell, Warner Horizon’s Unscripted slate includes “The Voice,” “Little Big Shots,” “Little Big Shots: Forever Young” and the Ellen DeGeneres-hosted “Ellen’s Game Of Games,” for NBC; “The Bachelor” franchise, which also includes “The Bachelorette,” “Bachelor In Paradise” and “After Paradise,” for ABC; an all-new Love Connection, hosted by Andy Cohen, for FOX; and the “Happily Ever After” franchise for Freeform, featuring former “Bachelor” cast members Ben and Lauren and the Twins, among others.
