February 12 2002 1:00 AM ET
Zadan and Meron to tackle Frank Rich's memoirs
Variety reports that out producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron (Life With Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows) have acquired the screen rights to Ghost Light, the memoir by New York Times columnist Frank Rich. The book tells the story of Rich's childhood in Washington, D.C., in the 1950s and '60s, and how his life was affected by his parents' divorce and his discovery of the theater during the golden age of the Broadway musical. "We read the book when it first came out, and we were mesmerized by the writing and an emotional but not overly sentimental depiction of a boy who uses theater to escape the frightening aspects of his life," said Zadan. "It has the potential to be for theater what Cinema Paradiso was for movies." Zadan and Meron's production company, Storyline, currently has a deal with ABC and Disney, but the company put up its own funds to acquire the rights because Rich was reluctant to sell the book at all, much less to a studio or network.
Zadan and Meron are currently producing the theatrical films Chicago and Fahrenheit 451 as well as TV versions of The Music Man, Fiddler on the Roof, Mame, and The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
From the archives of The Advocate
11/07/00: A Rich life
New York Times columnist and theater critic Frank Rich talks about his gay-friendly stance and his new memoir, Ghost Light
By Charles Isherwood
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