Three-Hour Live Musical Event to Air Sunday, December 17, on FOX
A nationwide digital casting call is underway for “Ralphie Parker,†the lead character in FOX’s live musical production of A CHRISTMAS STORY airing Sunday, Dec. 17 (7:00-10:00 PM ET live/PT tape-delayed) on FOX.
“Ralphie†is a bright, but not precocious, nine-year-old boy whose only dream is to get a Red Ryder Range Model Carbine Action BB Gun for Christmas. Auditions for the role are open now through Tuesday, August 29, at 11:59 PM PT. Submissions will be accepted digitally only via castittalent.com/A_Christmas_Story. Candidates, ages 9-12, should express strong singing and dancing capabilities and be able to anchor the live three-hour production. As part of the audition, candidates should submit a video performing the original songs “Red Ryder BB Gun†and “Before the Old Man.â€
From Warner Horizon Unscripted & Alternative Television, the three-hour live television event, inspired by the holiday classic feature “A Christmas Story†and the Tony Award-nominated Broadway production “A Christmas Story: The Musical,†will be executive-produced by award-winning film, television and theater producer Marc Platt (“Grease: Live,†“La La Landâ€). The epic adaptation will be filmed at the historic Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank.
Emmy Award nominee Maya Rudolph (“Saturday Night Live,†“Bridesmaidsâ€) will star as the mother of nine-year old “Ralphie Parker.â€
Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, recent Tony Award winners for the musical “Dear Evan Hansen,†and lyricists of “La La Land’s†Academy Award-winning song, “City of Stars,†also scored “A Christmas Story: The Musical,†and will compose several new songs for the live television event, with Jonathan Tolins and Robert Cary (“Grease: Liveâ€) adapting the book.
A CHRISTMAS STORY will be produced by Warner Horizon Unscripted & Alternative Television. Marc Platt and Adam Siegel will executive-produce, with Jonathan Tolins and Robert Cary (“Grease: Live,†“Anything but Love,†“Ira & Abbyâ€) serving as co-executive producers and writers. Scott Ellis (the 2016 Broadway revival of “She Loves Me,†“Weedsâ€) is an executive producer and will serve as the director overseeing the stage direction. Alex Rudzinski (“Grease: Live,†“Dancing with the Starsâ€) is an executive producer and will serve as the live television director. Benj Pasek and Justin Paul will compose music and lyrics for the event.