Putting The Music Back In MTV
Putting The Music Back In MTVNew York Post's Michael Riedel reports this morning that Legally Blonde will steal a page from the Disney playbook (read: High School Musical) and put its production on the cable network formerly known as Music Television (MTV) come October.
With inane shows like "My Super Sweet 16" and "Laguna Beach," MTV's ever-devolving demographics make it the ideal place for Legally Blonde to gain a little extra mojo (last week, the tuner was down to 84.4% capacity with an average ticket price of $78.82 going into the fall doldrums). Plus, MTV is practically across the street from the Palace Theatre -- home to Elle & Co. -- so most of those screaming tweens from TRL are likely find their way.
Just one overriding concern: won't the MTV audience be surprised when they actually hear music coming from their television sets?
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Related Stories:
The Night Legally Blonde Wasn't (May 25, 2007)
Legally Blonde (The SOB Review) (May 8, 2007)
Did Critics You Know Like Totally Blonde? (April 30, 2007)
Legally Blonde Comes Of Age Tonight (April 29, 2007)
Dye Is Cast For Legally Blonde Reviews (February 8, 2007)
Coming Of Age: Legally Blonde Opens In San Francisco (February 6, 2007)
M-G-M: Movies-Going-Musical (January 3, 2007)
Which New Broadway Musical Are You Most Enthusiastic About Seeing? (October 16, 2006)
A Place Where Nobody Dared To Go...Until Now: They Call It Xanadu (July 18, 2006)
Broadway Bound to Get Nuttier with More Movie Adaptations Turned Musicals (June 7, 2006)
Labels: Broadway, Film, High School Musical, Legally Blonde, Michael Riedel, MTV, Musical, Television
posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Wednesday, September 05, 2007
8 Comments:
That's a good one, Steve! Like you, I actually remember when MTV actually played music.
Riedel's column brings up an interesting issue. Lots of people would love to have a copy of their favorite musical/play preserved for posterity on DVD. While shows are sometimes taped afterward for broadcast, has there ever been another example of a show being aired on television in its entirety while it was still on Broadway? I wonder if this will be a groundbreaking move? I do agree that it has enormous potential to build interest in the show.
Esther, I believe that this will mark a first that a musical will air in its entirety on television while still on Broadway. (Many shows have been recorded for posterity, although most of them are not available for viewing by the public). Regular readers, please correct me if I'm wrong.
Steve,
Do you really think that the intended viewer has an attention span so they see the whole show while somewhere other than in the theater? I can see more channel surfing during that show than perhaps Real World......
Do you think they will want it on their iPods next....then they can surf in and out of it at will.....
and I've read articles about the surfing ability of iPods having decreased attention spans.......
I do like the idea of the show going to MTV to boost the box office and extend to some a show they may never see sitting in a theater for a live production......
Oh, several years ago a Lincoln Center production's last performance was broadcast live on PBS........forget the name as I was on a flight somewhere and missed it......
The production I referred to was a Lincoln Center production of "Twelfth Night" in 1998. I know why I missed it now....I was stuck traveling back from NY during the Northwest Airline strike.....took a bit longer than normal..........
I'm actually wondering whether Legally Blonde will transfer well to a small screen. I've seen a few taped musicals and plays, and it's hard to get it right. Seems to me that something like Spring Awakening would actually look better. It's more like a music video!
As you probably know by now, the show will be taped three times in September, and will air on MTV on September 29 at 1pm Eastern Time. I guess we call that a matinee...
To Esther's question of whether the show will translate well to the small screen, I do have my doubts, but then again, I have no idea how they'll be setting up their camera angles. It's worth noting that the performance will be free to the audience in attendance, so it's possible that they'll see scene after scene redone.
Thanks MIC for the update on when the show will be taped.
Post Script: Legally Blonde will finally make its MTV debut on Saturday, October 13th at 1 p.m. EDT/PDT. The show will also include a "Pink Carpet" extravaganza hosted by Lauren Conrad, Audrina Patridge and Whitney Port of The Hills.
Legally Blonde The Musical was filmed on September 18.
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