How George Clooney’s ‘Good Night, and Good Luck’ Is Preparing to Go Live on CNN

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George Clooney’s production, titled “Good Night, and Good Luck,” will be broadcast live on CNN this coming Saturday. This live telecast aims to disseminate the play’s relevant message and boost the visibility of Broadway.

Clooney came up with the concept for the live stage performance, where he portrays Edward R. Murrow, a renowned journalist, who also collaborated in writing the script. The play depicts Murrow’s efforts to uncover McCarthy’s underhanded tactics and his courageous resistance against opposition from both Senator Joseph McCarthy and CBS executives.

George decided to bring his show to Broadway as the story resonates deeply with him,” noted Sue Wagner, one of the main producers. “He felt strongly that he should perform on stage each night and convey to the audience, ‘This isn’t just about unfettered power. It’s about what sacrifices you’re willing to make and how you plan to save us.’

The performance will be broadcast on CNN and CNN International at 7 p.m. Eastern Time, and it can also be streamed online via the CNN website or watched live on Max. Prior to the show, anchor Pamela Brown will host a pre-show event outside the theater, while Anderson Cooper will lead a post-show discussion about the play and the current state of journalism following its conclusion.

Amy Entelis, the executive vice president for talent at CNN Originals and Creative Development, expressed that she desires it to be a significant occasion and she aims for it to make a substantial impact,” or simply, “Amy Entelis wants the event to be important and hopes it will have a big impression.

Broadway producers and George Clooney considered various methods of recording performances that had occurred, such as streaming the musical “Hamilton” on Disney+ or a live broadcast. Given the approaching end date of the play (June 8) and its potential audience, they ultimately chose to go with a live broadcast. Besides “Hamilton,” other Broadway shows have been recorded for later release, like the recent revival of “Purlie Victorious” that aired on PBS last year. However, performing a live broadcast is an uncommon occurrence.

As a gamer, I’m thrilled to be part of this exciting project that’s being financed by none other than 2929 Entertainment, a company owned by gaming legends Todd Wagner and Mark Cuban. Plus, we have Jeff Skoll’s Participant Media and Clooney on board too! You might remember them from the critically-acclaimed 2005 film that inspired this play – they were the ones behind it then, and they’re involved in the play and live broadcast now as well. On top of all that, they own the underlying rights for the show, as well as the live recording rights. It’s an amazing team to work with, and I can’t wait to see this project unfold!

This extra funding follows the swift recovery of its initial $9.5 million investment, achieved within roughly eight weeks, along with numerous instances where it shattered the record for highest weekly box office earnings among Broadway plays, raking in over $4 million last week and boasting an average ticket price of around $339.

Thieves’ Den, a company known for collaborating with Clooney and orchestrating events like the VMAs, is taking charge of the live transmission and intends to employ 20 cameras strategically placed among the aisles and throughout the theater where the 1,500-strong audience will be seated on Saturday evening. The aim is to capture the production as it unfolds on stage in a more realistic manner, which may occasionally involve showing the audience as well, rather than editing for a stylized broadcast.

George really needed us to make this event feel like a theatrical production,” said Jesse Ignjatovic, one of the founders of Den of Thieves.

CNN is set to broadcast the performance without advertisements, mirroring the uninterrupted Broadway experience.

On Friday evening and Saturday afternoon, the team intends to stage a rehearsal of the performance. This rehearsal will later be assessed by George Clooney, co-writer Grant Heslov, and others prior to the live telecast. It’s worth noting that the production director has already watched the show 12 times in preparation for this event.

Both CNN and Den of Thieves are well-versed in handling live events, although they’ve never broadcast a Broadway show live before. However, given that the cast has been performing this play on stage for weeks, they anticipate a seamless performance. Den of Thieves will station a television production truck outside the theater to facilitate communication with CNN during the live broadcast.

CNN answered a call from Clooney and discovered that the content aligned with their broader strategy for CNN Originals, which had previously broadcast pre-recorded shows such as Colin Quinn’s Off-Broadway play, concerts, the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, and more.

The intention here is to introduce various types of programming to conventional CNN viewers, with the aim of expanding our audience. This becomes increasingly important as traditional cable news networks face a wider decrease in viewership numbers, according to Entelis.

Entelis stated, “This concept was incredibly fitting since the play’s subject matter mirrored the struggles of the media in the 1950s, a topic that resonates strongly with our contemporary audience. Connecting these two points made perfect sense.

Both Wagner and John Johnson, a key producer for the Broadway production, also believe that the broadcast will benefit the theater industry. This is because it could generate significant attention towards Broadway on Saturdays, which might extend to the Tony Awards on Sunday, where Clooney has been nominated. The aim is that by making a Broadway show accessible to many, it may persuade viewers to purchase tickets for another performance as well.

Besides the expensive process of producing a stage show, which can be a deterrent for some, there has been concern that filming a show might discourage people from purchasing tickets to watch it live on Broadway. However, Johnson argues that this mindset should no longer be relevant, particularly when it comes to event-style theater. He cites the success of the “Wicked” movie and the increased ticket sales at “Wicked” on Broadway as evidence.

Johnson believes that there’s something inherent in human nature that draws us to being in a room with both an audience and performers on stage, collectively immersed in and experiencing a story together.”

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“According to Johnson, it seems as though there is a natural inclination in people to be present in a space alongside other spectators and actors on a stage, all partaking in the same narrative simultaneously.

Discussions are underway regarding the potential staging of “Good Night, and Good Luck” in London, however, no official announcements have been made as of now.

According to Entelis, CNN has great potential for hosting more live events. While she’s unsure if it will be another Broadway-style production, the network is exploring “more creative, groundbreaking approaches to make an impact.

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2025-06-05 15:55