John Neal, the Marin concert producer who's been putting on the Harmony Sweepstakes for 20 years, has signed an option deal with Sony Pictures Television to develop a reality-TV series about the national a cappella singing contest that brings vocal groups from around the country - doo-wop and barbershop quartets, boppers and rock heads - here every spring for the finals.
The Sony reality-show VP who proffered the deal is a fan and singer of a cappella music who once performed at the Harmony Sweepstakes regional competition in Los Angeles, where Dick Van Dyke's group Vantastix also appeared. Neal will get a taste of cash for the option but could see a windfall if a pilot is made and the pilot spawns a series. Deb Newmyer of Outlaw Productions has been tapped to develop the show.
Here in the UK the BBC is promoting "Choir Wars" (what a dreadful title!) which is going to be a knock-out weekly reality TV programme. We have already had The X Factor and similar TV programmes where the panel of experts seems to take great delight in humiliating the contestants. These programmes appear to be mostly about raising money from the phone-in to allow the panel to gad about around the world. The only winners are the television campanies and I wonder which choirs will put themselves in the firing line. Jean Digby www.justacappella.org.uk
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