Coming on top of their recent announcement that Fox’s A Christmas Story Live! has named Andy Walken to play the role of Ralphie Parker, the production has additionally released that Jane Krakowski (The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, She Loves Me) and Chris Diampantopoulous (Good Girls Revolt, Episodes) will play Ralphie’s schoolteacher Miss Shields and Ralphie’s dad, respectively. They join the already announced Maya Rudolph (Ralphie’s Mom) and Matthew Broderick (The Narrator). Scott Ellis will direct and produce A Christmas Story Live!
Krakowski is best known for her work on television as a regular on such comedies as The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, 30 Rock, and Ally McBeal. She has appeared on Broadway in such shows as Starlight Express, Grand Hotel (Tony-nomination), Once Upon a Mattress, Nine (Tony-winner for Best Featured Actress), and She Loves Me (Tony-nomination). Diamantopoulos will be familiar to audiences for his work on TV shows Episodes and The Office. More recently, Broadway audiences will remember him for starring opposite Sara Bareilles in the hit musical Waitress. He also has an upcoming film, appearing in the comedy The Truth About Lies.
Maya Rudolph is, of course, remembered for her comedic work on the sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live, as well as her work in the film Brides Maid. Currently, one might recognize her voiceover work on the recently-released Netflix series Big Mouth. A stalwart of the stage and screen, Matthew Broderick is a two-time Tony-winner (Brighton Beach Memoirs, How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying) who has also starred opposite Nathan Lane in The Producers and with Kelli O’Hara in Nice Work If You Can Get It. His films include Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, War Games, Godzilla, Glory, The Cable Guy, Ladyhawke, and The Freshman.
Opening on Broadway in 2012 where it played a limited engagement, A Christmas Story: The Musical features a score by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, recent Tony Award-winners for the musical Dear Evan Hansen, and lyricists of La La Land’s Academy Award-winning song, “City of Stars.” The duo will compose a handful of new songs for the LIVE television event, with Jonathan Tolins and Robert Cary adapting the book. A Christmas Story: The Musical was nominated for three Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Original Score (Pasek and Paul) and Best Book of a Musical. The original Broadway production of A Christmas Story: The Musical opened Nov. 19, 2012.
A Christmas Story Live! will air Sunday, December 17 (7:00-10:00 PM ET live/PT tape-delayed) on Fox.
Mark Robinson is the author of the two-volume encyclopedia The World of Musicals and maintains a theater and entertainment blog at markrobinsonwrites.com.