Universal Pictures has just acquired In Sight, a character-driven psychological thriller pitch from prolific producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron that has Joseph Gordon-Levitt attached to star. Gordon-Levitt, of course, stars in Robert Zemeckis’ 3D pic The Walk, which opened last night in previews. That movie is from TriStar, and we hear TriStar and Sony were all over In Sight too, but Uni wanted it and got the pitch for high-six figures to win a bidding war.

More →

BroadwayWorld.com recently sat down with the very busy dynamic duo of Craig Zadan and Neil Meron to discuss… well, everything.

More →

Ne-Yo and Common have joined the cast of NBC’s upcoming holiday production ofThe Wiz Live!, set to air December 3. Additionally, Elijah Kelley (Lee Daniels’ The Butler) has been cast as the Scarecrow, the role Michael Jackson played in the 1978 movie version (that’s him on the right in the photo). Ne-Yo is set to play the Tin Man, and Common will play the non-singing role of the gatekeeper of Oz.

More →

Two more A-listers have been invited to ease on down the road!

Orange is the New Black star Uzo Aduba and Glee actress Amber Riley have been added to the burgeoning cast of NBC’s upcoming live-action remake of The Wiz.

Aduba, a classically trained singer and Broadway actress, will be playing Glinda, the Good Witch of the South. Riley will play opposite Aduba, stepping into the shoes of Addaperle, the Good Witch of the North.

More →

Tony Award nominee and multi-talented actor and singerDavid Alan Grier is joining NBC’s highly anticipated holiday production of “The Wiz Live!,” set for Thursday, Dec. 3.

Grier will play the Cowardly Lion, who asks Dorothy if he can join her in her journey down the Yellow Brick Road and ask the Wiz for some courage, which he is severely lacking.

More →

Queen Latifah and Mary J. Blige will be part of “The Wiz Live!” – the song and dance retelling of “The Wizard of Oz” slated for NBC on Dec. 3.

Like Carrie Underwood and Allison Williams before them, the Grammy-winning recording artists will be part of a live musical extravaganza. The Emmy- and Oscar-nominated “Bessie” star will play the all-powerful Wiz, and Blige will play baddie Evillene, the Wicked Witch of the West, the network announced Tuesday.

More →

There are a lot of unusual paths from page to stage, but here’s one of the more meta: the imaginary show-within-a-show at the heart of a star-crossed television series is now being adapted for possible real world production.

NBC Entertainment and Universal Pictures on Monday said that they would begin an effort to develop “Bombshell,” the Marilyn Monroe bio-musical featured in “Smash,” from a collection of songs into a full-blown show.

More →

NBC has rounded out its creative team for The Wiz Live!, which airs December 3. Fatima Robinson has signed on as choreographer, Grammy winner Harvey Mason Jr is set as music producer, and Tony and Grammy winner Stephen Oremus will serve as music director, orchestrator and music co-producer.

More →

Additional casting was announced today by producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron for the concert presentation of the musical created within the NBC TV series “Smash,” created by Theresa Rebeck, Bombshell, with music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Marc Shaimanand Scott Wittman, directed by Joshua Bergasse and Scott Wittman with choreography by Joshua Bergasse and music direction by Marc Shaiman. The one-night only landmark event benefitting The Actors Fund takes place on Monday evening, June 8, 2015 at The Minskoff Theatre (1515 Broadway).
More →

BWW has confirmed today that Fatima Robinson (“The Voice,” “Dreamgirls” film, “VH1 Hip Hop Honors”) will serve as choreographer for the highly anticipated THE WIZ LIVE on NBC.

Robinson’s work as a choreographer and video director for the Black Eyed Peas has earned her several MTV VMA nominations, including a win for Best Hip Hop Video for “My Humps” and Best Choreography in a Music Video for “Hey Mama.” She is also the director and choreographer behind the popular commercial campaigns for Nair and Old Navy, as well as Fergie’s “Fergalicious” which won “Best International Video” at the 2007 Much Music Awards.

More →

Surprising no one who’s been following the Kickstarter campaign, it was announced today by producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron that the upcoming concert presentation of the musical Bombshell from the TV series “Smash,” created by Theresa Rebeck with music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, co-directed by Joshua Bergasse and Scott Wittman with choreography by Joshua Bergasse, is SOLD OUT! The response for the one-night only landmark event benefitting The Actors Fund, which sold out in just over one hour and to be held Monday evening, June 8, 2015 at The Minskoff Theatre (1515 Broadway) has been overwhelming helping to raise much needed funds for the non-profit organization.

More →

NBC’s next live television production will be an update of hit Broadway musical The Wiz, debuting December 3, but this time the network has partnered with Cirque du Soleil to co-produce the live event. It will then become a Broadway revival for the 2016-17 season.

Once again Craig Zadan and Neil Meron will exec produce. Tony Award-winning director Kenny Leon will stage both the television production and Broadway revival, in collaboration with Tony winner and Broadway icon Harvey Fierstein, who will contribute new material to the original Broadway book by William F. Brown.

More →

After three consecutive years as the producers of the Oscars, Neil Meron and Craig Zadan have decided not to return for a fourth. Now the search is on for who will oversee next year’s telecast.

The choice was theirs, sources close to the pair confirm, ending a three-year deal with ABC and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The two, who’ve produced films such as Chicago and The Bucket List, in addition to TV projects such as the live NBC productions of Peter Pan and The Sound of Music, were credited with bringing new playfulness to the ceremony and trimmed back some of the pageantry to make room for more music and entertainment amid the envelope-opening.

More →