CNN to Air Live Broadcast of George Clooney's ‘Good Night and Good Luck' in Broadway First
The broadcast, which is the first time a live performance of a play will be televised, is scheduled to air live on June 7 at 7 p.m. ET across CNN, CNN International and streaming on CNN's website. The televised performance is the second-to-last scheduled performance of the play on Broadway at the Winter Garden Theater.
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'I can't tell you how exciting it is to do something that's never been done. CNN is the perfect place to bring this story of courage to so many more people than we could have ever hoped. Live TV. No net. Buckle up everyone,' Clooney said in a statement.
'Good Night, and Good Luck is not just a celebration of a golden age in TV journalism,' said CNN chairman and CEO Mark Thompson. 'It's also about the importance of the free press and the need for strong news organizations to report the facts in a fair-minded way. That's something we still care deeply about.'
The play, which was adapted from the 2005 film, follows journalist Edward R. Murrow, played by Clooney, in his efforts to take down Sen. Joseph McCarthy and McCarthyism on air amid concerns from the federal government and CBS station heads.
The broadcast will be executive produced by Clooney and Grant Heslov — they co-wrote the play together — Deena Katz, Todd Wagner and Jeff Skoll.
The play opened on Broadway April 3 and is scheduled to run through June 8. The live broadcast of the show is also notable as the production has broken records as the play with the highest weekly gross in Broadway history, recently becoming the first play to make more than $4 million in one week. The production also announced the recoupment of $9.5 million capitalization Monday.
The broadcast is set to air the evening before the Tony Awards. Clooney is nominated for his role as Murrow, and the play is nominated for best scenic, costume, lighting and sound.
CNN will also be working on special pre-show coverage outside of the theater. Following the production, CNN will host a Good Night, and Good Luck special to discuss the production and state of global journalism.
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