NBC announces 'Bye Bye Birdie Live!' starring Jennifer Lopez

Celebrities! War time! A media conspiracy! Beyond regular television news programming, NBC will incorporate all these elements in next winter's live production of Bye Bye Birdie starring Jennifer Lopez.

“Broadway musicals and films fueled my childhood and Bye Bye Birdie was one of my favorites,” Lopez said in a press release. “I’m proud to be a part of the NBC family with Shades of Blue and I thought it would be a blast to take on one of their big live musicals.”

Originally performed on Broadway in 1961 (and on screen in a 1963 feature), Bye Bye Birdie centers on the military drafting of rock star Conrad Birdie and a plan to give him a stylish sendoff on The Ed Sullivan Show. That's a lot of dated references in one summary; Writer Harvey Fierstein and the network may either embrace that or entirely modernize this adaptation.

Lopez will play Rosie Alvarez, the girlfriend of Birdie's manager who masterminds Birdie's big exit along with her beau. She will also executive produce alongside Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas, Benny Medina, Craig Zadan and Neil Meron.

“To have a superstar like Jennifer Lopez starring in this classic show, which every high school in America has done, will ensure that our holiday musicals continue to be must-see events for the whole family,” said NBC Entertainment Chairman Robert Greenblatt. “It was her idea to take on this classic singing and dancing role made famous by the legendary Chita Rivera, and we are so happy to oblige!"

"This will be an extravagant production built around this big star,” he added.

Bye Bye Birdie Live! will air on NBC in December 2017.