SMASH Producers Zadan and Meron to Create New Musical Dramedy for NBC

Deadline reports that SMASH executive producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron are currently developing a new hourlong musical series for the NBC network. The project, described as a "dramedy" will be written and executive produced by Krista Vernoff (Grey's Anatomy) and will feature the music of singer/songwriter Diane Warren, who will also serve as the show's consulting producer.

According to the report, the show will follow a "30-something songwriter who has written the most epic love songs of our time, despite, or perhaps due to the fact that she is painfully unlucky in love." While the lead character will not be "based or inspired" by Warren, the show's plot will be a "fictionalized version" of her career.

Unlike the music in 'Smash', Warren's tunes will be integrated organically into the show's narrative. Among her many hits are LeAnn Rimes' How Do I Live, Celine Dion’s Because You Loved Me, Toni Braxton’s Unbreak My Heart and Aerosmith’s I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing.

Warren first collaborated with Zadan and Meron in 1999 when she composed a song for their musical, Double Platinum. In 2005, the twosome attempted to develop a similar musical dramedy using Warren's music. That project was penned by Abby Kohn and Marc Silverstein for ABC's Touchstone TV.

The project marks Zadan and Meron's second sale to NBC this season. The network previously greenlit their 'White House Confidential' drama written by Sri Rao. The busy duo will serve as producers of next year's Academy Awards and are behind such upcoming projects as Lifetime’s Steel Magnolias remake and the Anna Nicole Smith biopic. They will also produce a Bonnie & Clyde miniseries for Lifetime and History.

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