Ryan Murphy is turning Broadway musical The Prom into a Netflix movie "event"
The Glee creator will take LGBTQ musical comedy The Prom from stage to screen
Ryan Murphy is set to turn Broadway musical The Prom into a "movie event," adapting the hit production for streaming giant Netflix.
The musical comedy began life in Atlanta, Georgia, and transferred to the New York stage in October 2018. It tells the story of a group of Broadway actors who adopt the cause of an Indiana teen called Emma whose school prom was cancelled because she wanted to bring a same-sex partner.
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Murphy is known for shows including Glee, Feud, American Crime Story, Scream Queens and Pose, currently airing on BBC2.
On Instagram, he told followers that The Prom "is one of the most uplifting, heartfelt and special musicals I have ever seen on Broadway."
First it was rom-coms, then it was Christmas movies. Now Netflix is getting into musicals in a big way.
As well as Ryan Murphy's The Prom, the streaming service has also signed a multi-year deal with filmmaker and choreographer Kenny Ortega, best known for creating the High School Musical franchise. He already has two musical projects in the pipeline.
Add to that Oscar-winning director Damien Chazelle, who is creating a musical drama series set in modern Paris called The Eddy. Bend It Like Beckham director Gurinder Chadha meanwhile is creating an original "CG animated musical" called Pashmina.
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Murphy added: "It's truly an original that celebrates the underdog and says in a loving spectacular way that LGBTQ rights are human rights. I feel a special connection to it because it's set in Indiana, and that's where I grew up, too. I'm thrilled to announce I'm turning it into a MOVIE EVENT for Netflix."
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Murphy also revealed that the creative team behind the play will be helping it make the transition to Netflix, with producers Bill Damaschke and Dori Berinstein on board alongside director and choreographer Casey Nicholaw, musician Matthew Sklar and lyricist Chad Beguelin.
"It has a musical score that will leave you singing for days, a hilarious and moving book and some of the most show-stopping direction, choreography and performances I've ever seen on Broadway," Murphy said.
