Skinny Showbiz - The Sound of Music Live!

Carrie Underwood has been vilified for her

performance in The Sound of Music Live!

 

 

Say what you will about Carrie Underwood in The Sound of Music Live!  She delivered an audience of close to 20 million viewers and is ushering in a new era of traditional Broadway musicals being broadcast live during upcoming holiday seasons.  I, for one, think this is cause for celebration. Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, the producers of SOM Live, have committed to doing it again next year with another family friendly property.

 

Underwood delivered the audience

 

Not since the live Broadcast of Peter Pan in March of 1955, starring Mary Martin as Peter and my upstairs neighbor Sondra Lee as Tiger Lily, has such an undertaking been attempted.  I haven't seen the DVD of that broadcast in years (and, no, I didn't watch it live as I wasn't born yet.  (Haters need Jesus!!! to quote CU)

 

The incomparable Audra McDonald

 

While the cast was packed with Broadway stalwarts, including Tony winners Audra McDonald and Christian Borle.  McDonald really hit Climb Every Mountain out of the park.  I rewound it and watched it three times in a row (does that mean I'm a theater queen?)  But without Underwood's star power the project wouldn't have gotten off the ground.  And I understand it took 10 months of rehearsals and planning to put this show on the air. It really was an act of love.   Remember Smash?   There was oodles of Broadway talent on display, but theater queens alone couldn't keep the show on the air - you need a major star to bring in the heavy duty ratings.  (Sorry Angelica Huston.)

 

 

If the show were that much of a dog the ratings wouldn't have been consistent throughout the 3 hour broadcast.  Jay Leno had blockbuster numbers even though it was a re-run.  In fact, NBC announced today that it will re-air the program this Saturday, December 14th at 8 PM.  (Sorry about that It's a Wonderful Life - you've been bounced to Friday.)

 

People are so mean!!!!

 

So, thank you Carrie Underwood.  I'm grateful to you and I can't wait to see what they'll do next year - and who will be brave enough to brave the Tweeters out there who denounced The Sound of Music Live before it was even over.

 

What could have been!