The Oscars will feature a tribute to movie musicals of the last decade.
“The musical as a motion picture genre has had a remarkable renaissance in the last decade,” said producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron in a press release just sent out by the Academy. “We are excited to showcase three musical films — ‘Chicago,’ ‘Dreamgirls’ and ‘Les Misérables’ — on our Oscar show.”
When it was announced that Craig Zadan and Neil Meron would produce this year’s Oscars there was speculation they would showcase musical numbers.
After all, their feature films include “Footloose,” “Hairspray,” and “Chicago,” which won six Academy Awards including one for “Best Picture.” For television, they’ve produced films of “Life with Judy Garland,” among many others, and the series “Smash” and “Drop Dead Diva.”
They recently returned to their roots in live theater by producing Broadway revivals of the Tony-winning “Promises, Promises” and the Tony-winning 50th Anniversary revival of “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.”
The musical numbers in past Oscar telecasts have often been considered cheesy, but that’s part of the fun. I have always loved that part of the show. Obviously I’m not alone because there was a lot of griping last year when the Muppets didn’t get to perform their Oscar nominated song, “Man or Muppet.”
This year we can expect performances from the cast of “Les Miz.” And who knows, maybe Meryl Streep performing from “Mamma Mia!,” one of the all-time big musical commercial hits. And how about Jennifer Hudson belting from “Dreamgirls,” the show that brought her an Oscar?
There should be all kinds of surprises but, please, no Celine Dion singing the theme from “Titanic.”
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