Jennifer Lopez will star in the network’s live production of the beloved musical Bye Bye Birdie — entitled Bye Bye Birdie Live! — NBC entertainment chairman Bob Greenblatt announced at a Paley Center event on Thursday.
NBC’s next big musical event is about a musical superstar — and they’ve already got a musical superstar in the cast.
Birdie will be the network’s 2017 live holiday event, following this year’s Hairspray Live! (airing Dec. 7); Lopez will play Rosie, the role that earned Chita Rivera a Tony nomination during the original Broadway run.