Fox is diversifying its programming output by scheduling a live performance of the production Grease Live to be aired on its channel sometime next year. The decision to bring the hit musical to the small screen has been prompted by the runaway success of NBC's The Sound of Music, which drew 22 million viewers last December.

John Travolta
John Travolta Memorably Played Danny In The 1978 Hit Feature Film.

Grease Live will reportedly feature a "young ensemble cast" and will be based on the 1971 Broadway version of the story with the songs that the 1978 feature film helped lend worldwide success, such as 'Summer Nights' and 'You're The One That I Want.'

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The enduring popularity of the high school coming-of-age romance is Fox's assurance that ratings should be high, as is the current popularity of musical productions, such as Glee, that are aimed at younger demographics.

John Travolta Olivia Newton-John
Travolta & Olivia Newton-John Helped Make 'Grease,' Danny & Sandy Household Names.

"From Broadway to film, and across generations, Grease is one of the most beloved musical stories ever told -- and we can't wait to bring it to our air in a spectacular live event," said Shana C. Waterman, senior vp event series at Fox, via THR. "Its iconic characters and addictive songs make it the perfect fit for Fox, and we're going to give it the kind of star power and production quality to make every Sandy, Danny, Rizzo and Kenickie out there want to get up and sing along."

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By ordering Grease Live, the network is entering into even closer competition with NBC, which collected a 5.6 rating among the key 18-49 demographic for The Sound of Music. NBC capitalised on the success of the show with a soundtrack and DVD and is planning to follow up the success of its first live broadcast with another, Peter Pan, set for the 4th December this year.


"It's incredibly exciting to have one of our first major network productions be based on this universally celebrated Paramount title, and we're thrilled to be partnering with Kevin [Reilly], Joe [Early] and Shana [Waterman] on this epic television event," Paramount TV president Amy Powell said. "Fox's passion for engaging audiences with bold storytelling and live musical formats make it a perfect home for this special broadcast."

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NBC The Sound Of Music
The Cast Of NBC's Extremely Successful 'The Sound Of Music.'