Carrie Underwood to Star in NBC's Live Broadcast of THE SOUND OF MUSIC

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

30 Rock will be long gone by then, so it wouldn't really be NBC synergy, but I wouldn't mind him, either. I've always thought he would make a great Ben Stone in Follies.

I guess I kind of understand all this sturm und drang about Underwood because this is BWW, but when I saw this I admit I was a little surprised, but I don't really think she's that terrible a choice. I mean, it's a year away, so perhaps any of the the issues people think they are going to have with her are something that she'll work on before then?

[LYLS3637]

It's probably already been said, but I was hoping they would have gone the "...AND INTRODUCING" route.

Cast big names around a relatively unknown Broadway actress as Maria.

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

I'm "intrigued" by this casting choice. I'm not really all that familiar with her. I know of her a little bit. It is kind of humorous how some people get all hot and bothered about casting choices. Simmer down and give the girl a chance. She will either be brilliant, be so-so or just suck eggs. But one can't be sure until the show is presented. Pass the popcorn. from RC in Austin, Texas

[darquegk]

Does anyone else see this as something of a call-back to the establishing of Reba McEntire as a valid interpreter of golden age musicals a while back? Like "If it worked with Reba, maybe we can replicate that success with Carrie?"

[degrassifan]

Jennifer Hudson never acted before receiving the role of Effie, so anything is possible. I don't know much about Carrie Underwood except that she's the most successful and still relevant winner of American Idol. Plus, I loved her "Ever Ever After" in Disney's Enchanted.

Something else I just thought of. There's a reason why the film was not a direct adaptation of the original Broadway show, but maybe it doesn't matter since this won't be on the big screen?

[darquegk]

I'm suspecting that we'll see a production based on the film-influenced 90s revival, not the original licensed version of the show before the movie changes were implemented.

[Brave Sir Robin2]

Here is the Entertainment Weekly link because it has video of her singing the title song from an event in 2007. I think she sounds great and it works very well for a pop-oriented setting. With proper direction, I think she could be superb.

http://insidetv.ew.com/2012/11/30/carrie-underwood-the-sound-of-music/

[Owen22]

"..but Maria has so many dimensions"

really? really?

[mdundaswood]

Here's my take, on Simply-Showbiz.com:

http://simply-showbiz.com/blog/archives/39639

MDW

[FindingNamo]

I would rather see Carrie play the lead in "Carrie," now that the revival proved it's a masterpiece. The mother/daughter scenes are aaaamaaaayziiiing.

[fredric47]

Since I don't watch "American Idol," I really have no idea how talented Carrie Underwood is. But I was hoping that they would cast a Maria from the Broadway talent pool. It is too bad that television is so dependent upon high ratings. I think that Craig Zadan and Neil Meron are really off the wall with much of their TV casting choices. Their "The Music Man" with Matthew Broderick was disasterous. Thank God, I got to see the original "The Sound of Music" with Mary Martin and have watched the film version with Julie Andrews umpteenth times since its release in 1965. I guess they will cast an aging rock star as Captain Von Trapp.

[fingerlakessinger]

I doubt the acting is going to be "difficult." Maria is not that complex of a character. Is it a classic? Of course. But Maria is not really a "difficult" role to act. If Carrie is able to portray a women who is questioning her path in life (either become a nun or live her life outside of the one place she knows) and is able to portray love and devotion to the children and the captain, she will be fine. The singing I believe she will be quite exceptional at. She will probably have to improve her upper register in terms of the "legit" notes but again, I'm sure she has a coach who is going to beat the entire score into her vocal chords.

[goldenboy]

Well let's see it could work... afterall
Austria is a country/Carrie is from the country.
I see how their thinking works.
__________________________
As for "I trust Neil Meron."
You did see Matthew Broderick in the Music Man right?
What a mess that was.
__________________________


And sometimes perfect casting doesn't work:
Bette Midler should have been perfect in Gypsy but instead she played
not Mama Rose but Bette Midler. And Neil Meron did that too.

I love Dolly Parton as Elsa or Mother Superior... LOL.

[singtopher]

I, for one, hope she's outstanding.

[ComingUpRoses2]

Meron and Zadan have made some odd choices for their musicals. While I thought the casting in Chicago and even Hairspray was pretty spot on, their TV musicals have left a little to be desired. I think their best one was probably Annie.

They have a habit of casting actors who seem ideal on paper, but end up giving less than stellar performances (Midler in Gypsy and Broderick in The Music Man come to mind).

I actually don't think Carrie is a bad choice. She could pull a Reba and impress all of us. She certainly has a nice voice and a lot of charm, which is really all the role requires.

[SNAFU]

It would be awesome if it were done live from 8h! There has been talk about them wanting to do a musical live and 8H is set up for that!

[JohnyBroadway]

Their casting for cinderella was also spot on.

[beagle]

I find this casting strange but interesting. Maria doesn't always have to be a soprano (Mary Martin wasn't) even though that's the standard casting nowadays, so I don't think Underwood's vocal range will be that much of a problem. I think she will be able handle the singing very well, but it's the acting I'm more concerned about. She could end up being surprisingly good in the role, or not, but we never know until we see it. I will be watching out of curiosity.

I wonder now, since they have a big name in the role of Maria, if they will fill out the rest of the cast with Broadway people.

[JP2]

"I don't know much about Carrie Underwood except that she's the most successful and still relevant winner of American Idol."


She's not.

[Caring Soul]

We do not have a television set, but if it is true that this person is some sort of country-western singer, the culture is reaching a new low.

[luvbrdway]

I love Carrie Underwood, but I love Sound of Music more. It just shouldn't be done. Julie Andrews is perfection in that role. Yeah, I'm old and crotchety.

[degrassifan]

"I don't know much about Carrie Underwood except that she's the most successful and still relevant winner of American Idol."


"She's not."

I'm pretty sure it's a fact.
Who is the most successful American Idol?

[bobs3]

"It would be awesome if it were done live from 8h! There has been talk about them wanting to do a musical live and 8H is set up for that!"

I don't think Studio 8H is big enough to do a LIVE production of "The Sound of Music" with the large, lavish sets and mountainous backgrounds it will require. It will most likely be broadcast live from a movie studio sound stage in Los Angeles (much like the Stephen Frears/George Clooney live broadcast of "Fail Safe"). Since NBC owns Universal, it will probably be done on one (or two) of the large sound stages at their lot in Universal City.

[bobs3]

13 million albums sold, 5 Grammys and numerous sold out arena tours and she's not the most successful American Idol winner?

As Bill Clinton said, do the math!

[Far From Home]

Bet Julie Andrews is turning over in her grave. What? She's still alive? This will kill her.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

I bet she couldn't care less.