Zadan and Meron To Tackle the Memoirs of Frank Rich

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.