Steven Spielberg is following up his Emmy-decorated United States of Tara with another Showtime scripted venture that will chronicle the development of an original Broadway musical. To see whether the Hollywood legend is recruiting Mickey Rooney, a rag tag group of underprivileged urban youths or musical vets to carry Spielberg's tuner from inception to an actual Broadway debut, join us after the jump!
Sadly, Spielberg is avoiding the bite of Project Runway-style cat fights and spontaneous Babes in Arms duets by recruiting producers with actual musical adaptation credentials: Craig Zadan and Neil Meron. The two, who are still negotiating their cut in Spielberg's Broadway debut, will join tunesmiths Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, who were responsible for bringing Spielberg's Catch Me if You Can to the stage.
The program is yet to be titled and it is uncertain whether the series will be a half or a full hour. Producers are currently meeting with writers and hoping that the show will last a few seasons so that they can create multiple musicals. As long as the Spielberg's tuner dabbling doesn't short out like his mythically disastrous foray into reality television (AKA On the Lot), the program series will ideally survive several seasons to bear multiple musicals.
ยท Showtime, Spielberg team on series [Variety]