Fox to air ‘A Christmas Story’ as a live musical in December
NEW YORK — The Fox network is getting in the Christmas spirit with its announcement Friday of “A Christmas Story,” a live TV musical scheduled for December.
The three-hour special is inspired by the film “A Christmas Story” and the Tony Award-nominated Broadway show, “A Christmas Story: The Musical.”
Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, recent Tony Award nominees for the musical “Dear Evan Hansen,” and lyricists of “La La Land’s” Oscar-winning song, “City of Stars,” also scored “A Christmas Story: The Musical.” They will compose new songs for the television version.
The film “A Christmas Story” was released in 1983, based on Jean Shepherd’s semiautobiographical story of 9-year-old Ralphie Parker’s desperate attempt to land an air rifle as a Christmas gift, despite warnings from everyone that he’ll shoot his eye out.
It has since become a holiday classic. Two sequels followed. The original Broadway production of “A Christmas Story: The Musical” opened on Broadway in 2012. It was nominated for three Tony Awards, including best musical, best book and best original score.
Peter Billingsley stars as Ralphie, a little boy who just wants a Red Ryder B.B. gun for Christmas, in “A Christmas Story.” (Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.)