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    NBC picks some key Broadway creators for its “Hairspray”

    By SHOOTUpdated:No Comments1367 Views
    In this June 8, 2014 file photo, Kenny Leon accepts the award for best direction in a play for "A Raisin in the Sun" at the 68th annual Tony Awards in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)

    By Mark Kennedy, Drama Writer

    NEW YORK (AP) --

    NBC has tapped some deep Broadway talent for its live production of the stage musical "Hairspray."

    Kenny Leon, who won a Tony for the recent revival of "A Raisin in the Sun," will direct the show from composer Marc Shaiman and his co-lyricist, Scott Wittman.

    Jerry Mitchell, who won Tonys for choreographing "La Cage aux Folles" and "Kinky Boots," will choreograph. And Harvey Fierstein, who won a Tony playing "Hairspray" on Broadway, will write the teleplay.

    The musical adaptation of John Waters' 1988 cult film will air Dec. 7.

    NBC has made something of a cottage industry with live musicals, including "The Sound of Music," ''Peter Pan" and "The Wiz." Fox jumped in with its recent "Grease: Live!" and ABC plans a TV movie of the big-screen film "Dirty Dancing."

    Tags:HairsprayNBC



    DirecTV calls off acquisition of rival Dish, possibly ending a yearslong pursuit

    Friday, November 22, 2024
    Dish Network satellite dishes are shown at an apartment complex in Palo Alto, Calif., Feb. 23, 2011. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma, File)

    DirecTV is calling off its planned acquisition of rival Dish after the offer was rejected by bond holders at that company.

    The deal was reliant on Dish bond holders agreeing to trade in the debt they held for debt in the new company, a swap that would have cost them about $1.6 billion, collectively.

    The retreat by DirecTV this week may end a years-long effort by the company to acquire both Dish and Sling after it announced the bid in September.

    DirecTV was looking to acquire Dish TV and Sling TV from its owner EchoStar in a debt exchange transaction that included a payment of $1, plus the assumption of approximately $9.8 billion in debt. The deal was contingent on several factors, including regulatory approvals and bondholders writing off debt related to Dish.

    "While we believed a combination of DirecTV and Dish would have benefited all stakeholders, we have terminated the transaction because the proposed exchange terms were necessary to protect DirecTV's balance sheet and our operational flexibility," DirecTV CEO Bill Morrow said in a statement.

    The prospect of a DirecTV-Dish combo has long been rumored, and reported talks resurfaced over the years. And the two almost merged more than two decades ago — but the Federal Communications Commission blocked the deal valued at the time at $18.5 billion deal, citing antitrust concerns.

    The pay-for-TV market has shifted significantly since. As more and more consumers tune into online streaming platforms, demand for more traditional satellite entertainment continues to shrink.

    DirecTV says that it will continue to invest in next-generation streaming platforms and offer new packaging options while integrating content from live TV alongside direct-to-consumer... Read More

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