The Fox Broadcasting Company announced that they plan to air a live performance of the hit musical classic “Grease.” This broadcast, “Grease Live,” is scheduled for next year.

This announcement is sure to garner more public attention as the airdate nears, because of NBC’s live televised production of “The Sound of Music Live,” which was broadcast on Dec. 5, 2013, and starred Carrie Underwood as Maria Rainer.

In fact, the attention has already begun. Entertainment Weekly recently reported on the announcement. The article by John Hibbard says, “The move is sure to inspire cries of ‘copycat!’ from industry observers and the folks at NBC.”

As seen in Hibbard’s article, as well as several others, Shana C. Waterman, the senior Vice President of Event Series for Fox, “From Broadway to film, and across generations, ‘Grease’ is one of the most beloved musical stories ever told – and we can’t wait to bring it to our air in a spectacular live event.”

Waterman then goes on to say, “its iconic characters and addictive songs make it the perfect fit for Fox, and we’re going to give it the kind of star power and production quality to make every Sandy, Danny, Rizzo and Kenickie out there want to get up and sing along.”

Fox’s “Grease Live” will be based on both the 1971 musical by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey and also the Paramount Pictures’s film version directed by Randal Kleiser, which was released in 1978.

Will this new live musical be successful and appeal to an older college audience? Le Moyne senior Jessica West is ambivalent and unimpressed by the choice of musical, saying, “I wouldn’t really care either way. It is a good show but I wouldn’t go out of my way to see it.”

On the other hand, junior Kimberly Grader is hopeful. She says, “I think it is a really ambitious production and am curious to see how it turns out.” She then continues, expressing her concerns based on NBC’s recent live musical, “’The Sound of Music’ was an example [that] sometimes the original is always the best.”

Grader is only one among many with this opinion of “The Sound of Music Live.” Following their telecast, there were reports of mixed reviews for Underwood in particular. While she is undoubtedly a good singer, her acting abilities did not overly impress many viewers.

“That’s what happens when you cast someone based on their big name, and not on their acting ability.” agrees senior Lenore Hesse.

Suffice it to say, Fox will definitely have to step up their game in order to surpass NBC.