The hit TV show “Nashville”, which ran for six seasons on ABC, CMT, and Hulu, is being adapted as a Broadway musical.
Scott Delman, a 10-time Tony Award® winner and president of Blue Spruce Productions, acquired the live theatrical rights from Lionsgate and ABC Studios, which co-produced and distributed “Nashville.” Delman will serve as lead producer on the “Nashville” musical.
“Nashville,” with its complex, relatable characters and sweeping emotional gestures, has all of the narrative elements that I look for in great theatrical source material. From that rich DNA, we will be building an original story with entirely original music, written by major Nashville and Broadway songwriters,” said Delman in a release.”We are particularly excited to deliver Broadway’s first score of true contemporary country music – a genre that has exploded with mainstream audiences in recent years. Lionsgate has a treasure-trove of sterling IP, and I’m honored to be a part of this new phase of their live entertainment division.”
The show was set against the backdrop of the city’s music scene and followed the lives of country music superstars as well as the up-and-coming performers and songwriters trying to get ahead in the business. Created by Callie Khouri, in “Nashville,” musicians and songwriters are at the heart of the storm, driven by their own ambitions. Some are fueled by their creativity and passion for fame. Others struggle to cope with the pressures of success and are doing everything in their power to stay on top.
No further details have been released on if any of the familiar characters from the hit show will appear in the stage version. However, Charles Esten who played Deacon on the show has appeared in Buddy a musical about Buddy Holly where Esten portrayed Buddy Holly.
The final episode of “Nashville” aired on CMT in July 2018. Following the show’s end, the cast did a farewell tour with a stop at the Grand Ole Opry.
