海角大神

Broadway veteran Aaron Tveit has reportedly been cast as male lead Danny Zuko in the Fox live musical 鈥淕rease.鈥澨�

Mr. Tveit starred in the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical 鈥淣ext to Normal鈥� beginning in 2009 as well as the Broadway musical version of the film 鈥淐atch Me If You Can鈥� in 2011. He also played one of the lead roles in the 2012 film version of the classic musical 鈥淟es Miserables.鈥�

Julianne Hough, a judge on the ABC dancing competition 鈥淒ancing With the Stars鈥� who previously starred in the 2011 film 鈥淔ootloose鈥� and 2012鈥檚 鈥淩ock of Ages,鈥� is playing Danny鈥檚 love interest Sandy in the live show. 鈥淗igh School Musical鈥� actress Vanessa Hudgens, who also recently played the title role in a Broadway revival of 鈥淕igi,鈥� is taking on the role of Rizzo. 鈥淕rease鈥� is set to air on Fox in January.

[Editor's note:听The original version of this article misspelled "Gigi."]听

鈥淕rease鈥� is only one of a recent spate of live musicals on television, a format thought previously to have hit its zenith decades ago. But then NBC scored an unexpected hit in 2013 with 鈥淭he Sound of Music Live!,鈥� which starred country singer Carrie Underwood as Maria von Trapp and 鈥淭rue Blood鈥� actor Stephen Moyer as the Captain as well as Broadway veterans such as 海角大神 Borle, Audra McDonald, and Laura Benanti. NBC quickly planned a follow-up and Fox planned 鈥淕rease.鈥�

However, 鈥淕rease鈥� is far from a sure thing in terms of ratings. NBC鈥檚 2014 live musical, 鈥淧eter Pan Live!,鈥� didn鈥檛 reach the ratings of 鈥淢usic.鈥� For "Pan," the country music audience wouldn鈥檛 have been brought in like they were by Ms. Underwood and 鈥淢usic鈥� was a novelty at the time 鈥� perhaps viewers were less curious about a live musical follow-up.

In addition, both 鈥淢usic鈥� and 鈥淧an鈥� aired in early December as family programming. The month is ideal for shows around which the entire family can settle. In January, Fox will be competing against the normal schedule of TV shows and 鈥淕rease鈥� could be overshadowed.

So why are networks continuing with live productions (NBC is planning 鈥淭he Wiz鈥� for this December as well as Fox鈥檚 鈥淕rease鈥�)? If they can get viewers to tune in, a live show is something many would want to be watching as it happens, following along on Twitter and texting with their friends. In the age of DVR and online viewing, this is increasingly hard to come by. It听worked for 鈥淢usic鈥� and now executives hope to recapture the magic.

And 鈥淕rease鈥� is a very well-known property, one that could get viewers of many ages tuning in (though perhaps not the whole family as envisioned by NBC for 鈥淢usic鈥� or 鈥淧an鈥�). Time will tell whether "Grease" will prove a success for Fox.