NBC's Live Musical Revival: How 'The Sound of Music Live' Changed TV

In December 2013, NBC aired 'The Sound of Music Live,' a live television production that drew over 18 million viewers and marked a turning point for the network. The project was spearheaded by Bob Greenblatt, who became chairman of NBC Entertainment after Comcast took majority ownership in 2011. Greenblatt, a Broadway producer, enlisted Craig Zadan and Neil Meron to produce. Carrie Underwood starred as Maria and Stephen Moyer as Capt. Von Trapp. The broadcast originated from Grumman Studios on Long Island. The success led NBC to produce four more live musicals during Greenblatt's tenure: 'Peter Pan Live' (2014), 'The Wiz Live' (2015), 'Hairspray Live' (2016), and 'Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert' (2018). A planned 'Bye Bye Birdie' with Jennifer Lopez did not materialize. The live musicals earned critical acclaim, including six Emmy nominations and one win for 'The Sound of Music Live.' The trend influenced other networks, with Fox staging 'Grease' in 2016 and 'Rent' in 2019. Greenblatt left NBC in 2018 but is currently in talks with NBC and ABC about producing a new live musical.