NEW YORK (CelebrityAccess MediaWire) –NBC and MSG Entertainment will collaborate on the first-ever televised special to celebrate 75 years of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular in a one-hour production from the Great Stage of Radio City Music Hall in honor of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular’s 75th year. Co-hosted by Matt Lauer and Meredith Vieira, and executive produced by 60 Minutes creator Don Hewitt, the special will air in early December.
The 75th Celebration of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular special NBC telecast will feature new scenes, state-of-the-art special effects, glamorous costumes, and eye-popping numbers performed by the world-famous Radio City Rockettes, as well as traditional classics including the famed “Parade of the Wooden Soldiers.”
“NBC is thrilled to bring this timeless tradition to homes all over the country, and help celebrate their 75 years of success,” said Doug Vaughan, vice president NBC News and Entertainment Special Projects.
“The Radio City Christmas Spectacular, to be broadcast on NBC, salutes one of the most beloved entertainment institutions in the world, which has been a treasured part of holiday traditions for generations,” said Jay Marciano, president, MSG Entertainment. “This year’s show will be the most dynamic version to hit the Great Stage in our storied history, with new elements to showcase the unparalleled talent and precision of the world-renowned Radio City Rockettes, along with time-honored favorite numbers that families have enjoyed for decades. We are extremely proud to spread the unique holiday spirit of the one-of-a-kind Radio City Christmas Spectacular to millions of NBC viewers.”
“We wanted to find a way to bring the wonderful experience and tradition of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular to people everywhere,” said Hewitt. “This 75th Celebration will warm viewers’ hearts with the magical holiday spirit that has created wonderful memories for more than 62 million people since its inception in 1933; I am thrilled to be involved.”
In 1994, MSG Entertainment broadened the holiday theatrical's schedule for the first time to include markets outside of New York. Since then, the Radio City Christmas Spectacular has performed in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Ft. Lauderdale, Nashville, Pittsburgh, Toronto, and many more. In 2007, The Christmas Spectacular will entertain audiences in Phoenix, Ft. Lauderdale, Tampa, Chicago, and Nashville and will make its debut in Costa Mesa and Des Moines. –Bob Grossweiner and Jane Cohen
