Jennifer Lopez Joins Skydance to Adapt Rodgers & Hammerstein Musical Catalog for TV & Film
Jennifer Lopez is a multi-hyphenated superstar and now the singer-dancer-actress is bringing the Concord catalog of musicals that includes the works of Rodgers & Hammerstein, among others to TV and film
Photo: Wikimedia Commons/ dvsross
Jennifer Lopez is a multi-hyphenated superstar and now the singer-dancer-actress is bringing the Concord catalog of musicals that includes the works of Rodgers & Hammerstein, among others to TV and film. The deal between Skydance and Nuyorican Productions from JLo and Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas and Benny Medina includes the development of the first-ever TV series based on a modern-day adaptation of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s musical Oklahoma, Deadline reported. For fans of musical theatre this is an exciting project and considering the massive success of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton on Disney+ and the upcoming adaption of West Side Story with Rachel Zegler, it also appears we can expect more such diversity for these musicals as well.
JLo, 51, will have the option to star in one of the productions but no word yet on which. Concord is an independent company that develops, manages and acquires sound recordings, music publishing and theatrical performance rights. They have licenses to hundreds of Broadway musicals including Wizard of Oz, A Chorus Line, Hello Dolly, Bye Bye Birdie, Dreamgirls, Hair and Gypsy, and is a co-producer on current shows including Alanis Morrissette’s Jagged Little Pill. Seeing JLo as Gypsy, played by Natalie Wood in the 1962 film, could be an Oscar-worthy role achieving the same levels of success as Hustlers and Selena but we’ll have to wait and see.
“Musicals were a part of the tapestry of my childhood,” Lopez said in a statement. “We’re so excited to begin our association with Skydance and Concord in reinterpreting some of the most classic musicals and bringing them to life in new ways for a new generation.”
JLo was previously attached to star in NBC’s live holiday production of Bye Bye Birdie in 2017 but NBC then paused on live musical productions, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Rodgers & Hammerstein’s roster includes The Sound of Music, South Pacific, The King and I, Carousel and Flower Drum Song.
This news comes after Nuyorican Productions signed a first-look deal with streaming giant Netflix in June of this year and she’s co-starring in Marry Me with Maluma and Owen Wilson, which was pushed for release in 2022. She also recently released her new single, “Cambia El Paso” with Rauw Alejandro, her first song since “In the Morning” in November 2020. Juggling multiple projects has never be an issue for JLo so we expect no less from the Boricua mother of two.
“The song is about change and not being afraid to take the step,” she told Crisco Kidd when she called into SiriusXM’s Pitbull’s Globalization.”Like, just take the step, advance, do what you need to do. If something’s not feeling right, whatever it is in your life, like, just make that move and dance.”
