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Radio City Christmas Spectacular to be broadcast this year in HD

4192 Views 35 Replies 24 Participants Last post by replayrob, Dec 15, 2007

No Clue

Discussion Starter · May 23, 2007

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/23/ar...l1yFBWg6UOnduw

Hope the link works. This is according to a NY Times article:

"The Radio City Christmas Spectacular, featuring the Rockettes, Santa Claus and a parade of wooden soldiers, will be shown almost in its entirety in a prime-time special on NBC in early December, in what Radio City and the network said yesterday was the first such broadcast in the show's 75-year history."

1 - 20 of 36 Posts

replayrob

· #2 · May 23, 2007

Very nice, and I hope it does materialize... especially in HD.

We went to the show last Christmas, and it was really great. The production values were very high, and the colors and costumes were "spectacular".

If filmed correctly- it could be really special!

CycloneGT

· #3 · May 23, 2007

Didn't they have something like this before with Regis on NBC? I could have sworn that was HD.

No Clue

Discussion Starter · #4 · May 23, 2007

Quote:
Originally Posted by CycloneGT /forum/post/0

Didn't they have something like this before with Regis on NBC? I could have sworn that was HD.

I have seen promotional appearances by the rockettes on many occasions and even a lengthy segment on the today show when Meridith Viera "trained" with the rockettes and appeared in a real performance but this is the first time it has been broadcast as an almost full length performance.

Giles37

· #5 · May 24, 2007

one word: Fabu!

kenglish

· #6 · May 29, 2007

What a great opportunity for NBC stations to give away some (Christmas-time) HDTV sets!

Are we listening, station managers?

John Chu

· #7 · Nov 17, 2007

Bumping this up.

Any news on this?

5w30

· #8 · Nov 17, 2007

Yep.

The RCMH Xmas show is produced by Don Hewitt.

Yep, same guy who basically invented CBS-TV News ... and "60 Minutes"

NY Times:

The Radio City Christmas Spectacular, featuring the Rockettes, Santa Claus and a parade of wooden soldiers, will be shown almost in its entirety in a prime-time special on NBC in early December, in what Radio City and the network said yesterday was the first such broadcast in the show's 75-year history.

How the special is coming together behind the scenes may turn out to be as compelling as what is eventually shown on screen, in high definition. The executive producer of the televised Christmas show is Don Hewitt, who grudgingly retired in 2004 as the executive producer of 60 Minutes, a program he created. Mr. Hewitt said this week that he had been searching ever since for an icon of similar stature that might return him to prime-time television, if only for an hour.

Link: [may need subscription]
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/23/ar...erg,%20Jacques

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jeff2631

· #9 · Nov 17, 2007

Saturday, December 1, 2007 8-9pm ET

THE RADIO CITY CHRISTMAS SPECTACULAR

This December NBC brings more holiday cheer into viewers homes with 'The Radio City Christmas Spectacular' special - For the first time ever, NBC will televise the 75th celebration of the "Radio City Christmas Spectacular" in a one-hour exclusive special from the great stages at Radio City Music Hall. Hosted by Matt Lauer and Meredith Vieira ("Today"), the show will feature brand new glamorous costumes, state-of-the-art special effects and new eye-popping numbers performed by the world-famous Radio City Rockettes, as well as traditional favorites including the famed "Parade of the Wooden Soldiers." This year's brand new and re-imagined production will be executive produced by legendary and veteran news producer Don Hewitt.

http://www.nbc.com/Movies_Specials_More/

No Clue

Discussion Starter · #10 · Nov 17, 2007

I have seen this years version and it is very different from years past. I really didn't care for it as much. It looked like it was a cheaper production. YMMV

hphase

· #11 · Nov 17, 2007

The Christmas show changes a little bit every year. A few acts are changed each year, and over the course of about 5 years, the entire show changes, except for a few key signature acts. You can bet that it isn't cheaper, though.

Fred M

· #12 · Nov 17, 2007

Quote:
Originally Posted by hphase /forum/post/12243540

The Christmas show changes a little bit every year. A few acts are changed each year, and over the course of about 5 years, the entire show changes, except for a few key signature acts. You can bet that it isn't cheaper, though.

I used to live in New York (Mamaroneck/Westchester) and going every year to Radio City was a "must" at Christmas-time. After I moved to the Dallas, area, I saw their first traveling show which was very "condensed" and generally awful compared to the original. Last year, I saw it again in Dallas (actually Grand Prairie, a suburb) and it was very good, but still less than the "real thing." (Only 30 Rockettes instead of about 60.) I sure am looking forward to seeing the "real thing" on HDTV.

Check out: http://christmas.radiocity.com/

I am VERY SURPRISED that Charlie Nolan & family - owner of the production - [he also owns Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall, several professional sports teams includng the NBA Knicks & NHL Rangers, a huge Cablevision TV operation - he is also the founder of HBO - and owns other "high dollar" trinkets] - would allow this since it is bound to hurt the live gate. Radio City Music Hall seats more than 6,000 and the Christmas Show plays for a month and a half ...sometimes four times a day. And there are seven travelling shows running simultaneously around the country. (Receipts have to be around $100 million ...or more.)

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NetworkTV

· #13 · Nov 17, 2007

Quote:
Originally Posted by Fred M /forum/post/12244175

I am VERY SURPRISED that Charlie Nolan & family - owner of the production - [he also owns Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall, several professional sports teams includng the NBA Knicks & NHL Rangers, a huge Cablevision TV operation - he is also the founder of HBO - and owns other "high dollar" trinkets] - would allow this since it is bound to hurt the live gate. Radio City Music Hall seats more than 6,000 and the Christmas Show plays for a month and a half ...sometimes four times a day. And there are seven travelling shows running simultaneously around the country. (Receipts have to be around $100 million ...or more.)

There's something about going to see a stage production in person, be it a musical spectacular or a broadway production. As you noted, in your post, it's tradition for a lot of people. Also, there are plenty of people that may never get to the city to see it in person. Finally, for those that might not have the show fresh in their mind, it's a great promotional tool to get people to say, "you now, we ought to go see that in person"....

On the other hand, maybe in NY people will simply see a slate that says "Go pay to see the show in person, you cheapskate!"

5w30

· #14 · Nov 18, 2007

Quote:
Originally Posted by Fred M /forum/post/12244175

I used to live in New York (Mamaroneck/Westchester) and going every year to Radio City was a "must" at Christmas-time. After I moved to the Dallas, area, I saw their first traveling show which was very "condensed" and generally awful compared to the original. Last year, I saw it again in Dallas (actually Grand Prairie, a suburb) and it was very good, but still less than the "real thing." (Only 30 Rockettes instead of about 60.) I sure am looking forward to seeing the "real thing" on HDTV.

Check out: http://christmas.radiocity.com/

I am VERY SURPRISED that Charlie Nolan & family - owner of the production - [he also owns Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall, several professional sports teams includng the NBA Knicks & NHL Rangers, a huge Cablevision TV operation - he is also the founder of HBO - and owns other "high dollar" trinkets] - would allow this since it is bound to hurt the live gate. Radio City Music Hall seats more than 6,000 and the Christmas Show plays for a month and a half ...sometimes four times a day. And there are seven travelling shows running simultaneously around the country. (Receipts have to be around $100 million ...or more.)

It's Charles DOLAN, of course ... he with the idiot son Jim who is ruining the NBA's Knickerbockers.

As someone who toils in Rockefeller Center, I know this one showing will not hurt the live gate but will whet the appetite. Tickets are sold months in advance to tour groups, whose occupants and their buses make earning a living plus eating, walking and driving in Rockefeller Center treacherous from a little after Halloween thru New Year's. Fighting the rubes for a cuppa cawfee and a baygull widda schmear ... painful.

With good seats, it's always better seeing a live theatrical production in person.

humdinger70

· #15 · Nov 19, 2007

Since it's a stage show, isn't is affected by the IATSE strike that has shut down a lot of Broadway plays?

mphtrilogy

· #16 · Nov 19, 2007

It is not affected by the strike, it is not considered a Broadway Show and runs under a different contract.

jeff2631

· #17 · Dec 2, 2007

on now

replayrob

· #18 · Dec 2, 2007

2

First two acts are same as last year's show... but the 3rd act- "NY Sightseeing" with the bus is new.

My in-laws from Greece are here for two weeks, so we're going in next Friday to see the tree

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DaveFi

· #19 · Dec 2, 2007

Took them long enough. Here on WHDH Boston the screen was black with just sound for the first 10mins. Then they were in SD for another few mins.

petergaryr

· #20 · Dec 2, 2007

We are being treated to a wonderful SD presentation. Man, I hate the weekend help (assuming this actually is being broadcast in HD in other parts of the country).

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