The infamous and long-reviled Star Wars Holiday Special is reportedly set to be turned into a behind-the-scenes stage show in Los Angeles, according to the OC Register.
- Boston-based playwright Andrew Osborne has created a show simply titled “Special,” focusing on imagined backstage drama on the set of the ill-advised holiday special.
- “The Star Wars Holiday Special” focused on the beloved characters of Star Wars trying to help Chewbacca get home in time to celebrate Life Day.
- It aired only once on CBS in 1978 and went from being a massive project to complete disaster, to eventually a cult comedy classic.
- A preview for “Special” will be held on Thursday, December 13.
- Opening night will be Friday, December 14, with shows on select nights through January 13 at Theatre of NOTE.
- Tickets range from $10-$35 and are available here.
- For more information on “Special.” visit the show’s official website.
The “Special” website offers the following description of the show:
- In 1978, movie brats and network execs joined forces to create The Star Wars Holiday Special, a costly, disastrous variety show that aired on CBS exactly once. George Lucas wanted to smash every copy of the special with a hammer, but thanks to bootlegs and the internet it went on to become a cult classic…and “Special” is the jaw-dropping, true-ish story of how a smash hit space opera became the worst TV show in the galaxy!
What they’re saying:
- “Special” writer Andrew Osborne on “The Star Wars Holiday Special”: “It was not what I was expecting at all. Almost immediately, you had that horrible sinking feeling of like, ‘What is this?’ I remember watching it and rooting for it to be good. But yeah, that was the first and only time I watched it from beginning to end.”
- Osborne on “Special”: “Oh, my Gosh. If we’re not better than the special, we’re in trouble.”