The Passion (U.S.)

The Passion
Created by Jacco Doornbos
Based on The Passion franchise
Written by Peter Barsocchini
Presented by Tyler Perry
Starring
Narrated by Tyler Perry
Composer(s) Adam Anders
Country of origin United States
Production
Executive producer(s) Robert Deaton
Producer(s)
Production company(s)
Release
Original network Fox

The Passion is an upcoming American musical television special, to be broadcast live by Fox from New Orleans, Louisiana on March 20, 2016. Based on the Dutch franchise and narrated by Tyler Perry, it is a contemporary retelling of the Passion of Jesus Christ set to popular music, and starring Jencarlos Canela, Prince Royce, Trisha Yearwood, and Chris Daughtry.

Production

As in the original Dutch versions of the special, the broadcast will culminate with the procession of an illuminated cross.[1]

In December 2015, Fox announced that Tyler Perry would host and narrate a television special based on the final hours of Jesus Christ's life, broadcast live from New Orleans on March 20, 2016 (Palm Sunday), and produced by Eye2Eye Media and Dick Clark Productions. The special is formatted as a musical containing contemporary songs, and will culminate with the procession of an illuminated cross from Champions Square (outside the Mercedes-Benz Superdome) to a stage at Woldenberg Park. Adam Anders, who is executive producing and arranging songs for the production, explained that the special would incorporate "big, hit songs that everybody knows" but "in a completely new context", such as Imagine Dragons' "Demons" during Judas's betrayal of Jesus.[2][3][4][2] Anders felt that the project fit well with Fox due to the network's history with music-based series, such as Glee and Empire.[1] As a live musical, it serves as a follow-up to Grease: Live, a live production of the 1971 musical Grease that Fox had broadcast two months prior, as well as similar live productions of musicals by NBC.[1]

Perry—who practices Christianity,[5] was enthusiastic about being involved in such an event occuring in his hometown, and felt that it was like a "vacation" for him to contribute to a project that he did not personally create.[2] He also praised the concept of The Passion being set in a contemporary setting with well-known songs, believing that it would make the story more accessible to a general audience.[1] Producer Mark Bracco explained that The Passion would be "modern" and "inclusive", "whether you are a believer or wants to hear Trisha Yearwood sing a Whitney Houston song".[1]

The Passion is an American adaptation of a Dutch television special of the same name which has been broadcast annually since 2011,[1] and was, in turn, a localized version of the BBC's 2006 special Manchester Passion.[6] Creator Jacco Doornbos, who conceptualized the special in 2007 after learning that only 25% of people in the Netherlands were aware of the story of Easter,[1] described The Passion as having become the largest annual television event in the Netherlands. The 2015 edition was seen by approximately 3.57 million viewers.[7][8]

Cast

See also

References

External links

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