Posted on 12/07/2013 8:17:45 PM PST by BenLurkin
Thursday's three-hour spectacular "Sound of Music Live!" with country star Carrie Underwood as Maria sang for 18.6 million total viewers, according to Nielsen. That was a number that exceeded all expectations and gave NBC its most-watched night of entertainment programming in nearly seven years.
But Underwood and the singing Von Trapp kids also carried heavy symbolic freight for the TV industry. Networks are under attack from all sorts of competing diversions, including not just Netflix and Amazon but also apps such as Instagram that leach away millions of young viewers.
By drawing a big audience and no small amount of social media buzz for "Sound of Music Live!," NBC has added another DVR-buster to its lineup: live musical stage performances. Similar TV musicals are almost surely on the way, agents and other industry experts agreed. In that sense, "Sound of Music" may revive live Broadway on network TV ...
"There is an edge to doing something live on TV (rather) than something pre-recorded, and it showed," said Brad Adgate...
The NBC version of the musical about the free-spirited nun-turned governess hewed closely to the original Broadway show with few exceptions. NBC's staging was limited to a handful of sets and was almost universally hailed by most critics.
...
Even with the perfect casting, putting on a live musical presents enormous challenges that ensure networks won't be able to program them as frequently as they do, say, a weekly drama.
The undertaking required two directors, one to shape the performances and another to oversee the 13 cameras used during the broadcast. Seven sets were constructed on a massive soundstage in Long Island and had to be arranged in a way that would make sense for the narrative but would not require cast members to run too far between scenes.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
I don’t even know who Carrie Underwood is tho the name is familiar.
I saw an ad for the musical and it showed her singing for maybe 10 seconds or less. I was surprised how good she sounded and she looks good too. Now if she can just act.
We put on a live performance of the Sound of Music in High School in the late 60’s.
I love Carrie. Sorry I missed it.
you can watch it online
no longer live of course
I think I saw someone say it is on NBC’s website.
Thanks for the info.
Dough ray me.
Thanks.
She looked great and sang very well, as did the other cast members. None of them could act their way out of a paper bag, IMO. I give the performance a "C minus" , at best.
A lot of people in Hollywood cannot act, but they use editing and special effects to make them stars.
This special was LIVE
I know it was live.
The overall performance was disappointing. The casting was abysmal.
Oh, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!!! So happy it did this well. I love plays and musicals and this is a wonderful direction for TV!
You never know what new technology will bring. This is a chance to see beautiful art right on your couch, live. (Or three hours post live.). Who knew this would be an answer for the stupid networks!?
I loved the production. Sure, Carrie underwood can’t really act very well, but she sang the heck out of the songs and so did everyone else. More!!
Agree completely!
Yes, doing a live show in front of 18 million people is pretty edgy. Good show.
Seven sets were constructed on a massive soundstage in Long Island and had to be arranged in a way that would make sense for the narrative but would not require cast members to run too far between scenes.
Grumman Studios to be specific. I work right next door and had no idea what was going on there.
The kids were mostly good.
I hope it is successful. I’d love to see more live productions. Live theater, broadway shows... Even smaller-town productions. There’s a buck to be made I think. I hope so.
My wife and I enjoyed it as well. Acting was so-so, but the numbers were great. I hope we see more such productions.
I watched a little of her on youtube tonight. I think they should bring her back in a show a little more suited for her particular strong points. Maybe “Annie Get Your Gun?”
I watched it, and enjoyed it, but then I like the local high school and college musicals too.
Still, it was hard not to think about that beautiful opening of the movie starring Julie Andrews. It just couldn’t compete with that. Still I enjoyed it, and wouldn’t put it down.
It was certainly better than the drivel one usually sees on NBC.
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