James Levine is the composer of the new NBC comedy The New Normal. The show is created by Ryan Murphy & Ali Adler and stars Justin Bartha, Andrew Rannells, Georgia King, Bebe Wood, NeNe Leakes and Ellen Barkin. The series follows a gay Los Angeles couple and a cash-strapped waitress who becomes a surrogate to help them have a child. Murphy has directed the pilot episode and is also executive producing the Twentieth Century Fox Television production with Adler and Dante Di Loreto (Glee, Temple Grandin). Levine has been working with Murphy on all of his shows since the premiere of the FX drama Nip/Tuck in 2003, including the hit shows Glee and American Horror Story, both of which will be back with new seasons this fall.
Tag: NBC
Ludwig Göransson to Score ‘Fruitvale’
Ludwig Göransson is scoring the upcoming indie drama Fruitvale. The film marks the feature directing debut of Ryan Coogler. The movie starring Michael B. Jordan, Octavia Spencer, Kevin Durand, Chad Michael Murray, Melonie Diaz, Ahna O’Reilly and Tristan Wilds tells the true story of Oscar Grant, a young black man detained on New Year’s Day 2009 by the Bay Area Rapid Transit police and shot in the back and killed. Coogler has also written the script for the film produced by Forest Whitaker and his Significant Productions partner Nina Yang (The Children of Huang Shi).
John Swihart to Score NBC’s ‘Go On’
John Swihart has been hired to score the new NBC comedy Go On. The show stars Matthew Perry as a recent widower and sports talk radio host who is ready to get back to work after the loss of his wife. Laura Benanti, Julie White, Suzy Nakamura, Tyler James Williams, Brett Gelman and John Cho are co-starring. The series is created Scott Silveri who previously worked with Perry on NBC’s Friends. Silveri is also producing the project with Jon Pollack, Todd Holland (Wonderfalls) and Karey Nixon. Holland has also directed the pilot. Go On is set to premiere on September 11, 2012 on will be airing every Tuesday night on NBC.
Adam Berry Scoring NBC’s ‘Susan 313’ and ‘Happy Valley’
Adam Berry has recently scored two NBC comedy pilots. First up is Susan 313 created by Sarah Silverman who stars in the show as a woman readjusting to the single life after a decade-long live-in relationship. The comedy is loosely based on Silverman’s life and co-stars Jeff Goldblum, Tig Notaro, Ken Leung, Harris Wittels and June Raphael. Ken Kwapis (He’s Just Not That Into You) has directed the pilot and is also executive producing the project with Silverman, Dan Sterling, as well as Ron Howard, Brian Grazer and Francie Calfo for Imagine Entertainment (24, Parenthood, Friday Night Lights). Silverman has also co-written the script with Sterling and Jon Schroeder. The composer has previously scored the comedian’s Comedy Central series The Sarah Silverman Project.
Aaron Zigman to Score ‘Madea’s Witness Protection’ and NBC’s ‘Happy Valley’ Pilot
Aaron Zigman has been hired to score Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Witness Protection. The film is written and directed by Perry who also stars in the film alongside Eugene Levy, Doris Roberts, Tom Arnold, Denise Richards, Danielle Campbell, Devan Leos, Romeo, John Amos and Marla Gibbs. In the comedy, Levy plays a high level CFO at the center of a Ponzi scheme in New York City who is enrolled in the Witness Protection program along with his family in the one place that absolutely no one will think to look for them: Madea’s house down South. Ozzie Areu, President of Tyler Perry Studios, and Paul E. Hall are producing the film with Perry.
‘Smash’ Soundtrack Announced
Columbia Records will be releasing the first original soundtrack album for the NBC musical drama Smash. The Music of Smash features original songs from the show written by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, as well several cover versions performed by the show’s cast members including Katherine McPhee, Megan Hilty and Will Chase. Also included is the Ryan Fedder-produced original song Touch Me from last week’s episode. The soundtrack will be released on May 1, 2012 and is now available for pre-order on Amazon. Most songs featured in the already aired episodes are also available to download individually on iTunes and Amazon (click here for our last update). Smash has recently been renewed for a second season and currently airs every Monday night on NBC.
Jim Dooley to Score Bryan Fuller’s ‘Hannibal’
Jim Dooley revealed at the film composer panel Behind the Music: Composing for WonderCon’s Favorite Projects at the WonderCon 2012 earlier this month that he will be scoring the upcoming TV drama Hannibal. The series is created and executive produced by Bryan Fuller who previously worked with the composer on the critically acclaimed show Pushing Daisies, for which Dooley has received an Emmy Award. The Hannibal TV show is based on the iconic literary and film character Hannnibal Lector created by Thomas Harris and centers on the character’s budding relationship with FBI agent Will Graham. Hugh Dancy has been cast as Graham who was played by Edward Norton in 2002’s Red Dragon. No word yet on who will portray the title character. Martha De Laurentiis who produced the film versions of Hannibal, Red Dragon and Hannibal Rising is an executive producer on the project.
Chris Bacon to Score NBC’s ‘Smash’
Chris Bacon has been chosen by Smash executive producer and composer Marc Shaiman to write the underscore for this season’s remaining episodes of the musical show. Shaiman has written the series’ underscore himself for the first six episodes and Bacon has taken over scoring duties with episode 7 (The Workshop), which premiered last night. Shaiman and Scott Wittman continue to write the show’s original songs. Since our last update, several new songs have been released digitally, including the Shaiman- & Wittman-penned original songs The 20th Century Fox Mambo (performed by Katherine McPhee), I Never Met a Wolf Who Didn’t Love to Howl (performed by Megan Hilty), Mr. & Mrs. Smith (performed by Hilty and Will Chase), Let’s Be Bad (performed by Hilty) and History Is Made at Night (performed by Hilty and Chase), as well cover versions of It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World (performed by McPhee), A Song for You (performed by Chase), Crazy Dreams (performed by Hilty), Call Me (performed by McPhee), Grenade (performed by Chase) and I Haven’t Met You Yet (performed by Nick Jones).
‘Smash’ Premieres Tonight on NBC
The musical drama Smash is premiering tonight on NBC. The show features original songs written by Academy Award-nominated composer Marc Shaiman (Hairspray, South Park: Bigger Longer & Uncut) and Scott Wittman who are also also executive producing the show. Shaiman is also writing the original score. Columbia Records has already released the first two songs from the series’ pilot, including Let Me Be Your Star (performed by Katherine McPhee and Megan Hilty) and The National Pastime. Both songs are available to download on iTunes. A third song from the pilot, a cover version of Christina Aguilera’s Beautiful (performed by Katherine McPhee) will be released on February 13. More songs will be coming out over the next few months. For audio interviews with Shaiman about his work on the show, check out WNYC’s Soundcheck and KDHX’s Break a Leg.
Gabriel Mann to Score NBC’s ‘Bent’ and ABC Family’s ‘Jane by Design’
Gabriel Mann is scoring a couple of new TV shows that are set to premiere in 2012. Among the composer’s new projects is the half-hour comedy Bent. The series is created by Tad Quill (Scrubs, Spin City) and stars Amanda Peet as a recently divorced lawyer and David Walton as an irresponsible contractor and recovering gambling addict who is hired to remodel her kitchen. Jeffrey Tambor, Margo Harshman and Joey King are co-starring. Craig Zisk (Nurse Jackie, Weeds) directed the first two episodes. The Universal Media Studios-produced show is set to premiere as a mid-season replacement this spring on NBC.