NBC Picks Up High School Drama Series from Hamilton Producer

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Film & TV News NBC Picks Up High School Drama Series from Hamilton Producer Rise, inspired by a true story, stars Josh Radnor as a high school drama teacher.

By Adam Hetrick

May 05, 2017

Rosie Perez and Josh Radnor 2017 NBCUniversal Media, LLC

NBC has given a full series order for Rise (formerly titled Drama High), the new TV drama from Hamilton producer Jeffrey Seller and Friday Night Lights’ Jason Katims. The series is inspired by the true story of high school theatre teacher Lou Volpe.

//assets.playbill.com/editorial/f6ab46fbf37743b23e6e00787c1199b9-nup-177612-2054.JPG — Auli'i Cravalho and Damon J. Gillespie 2017 NBCUniversal Media, LLC

Volpe’s story and the program he built were documented in the 2013 book Drama High: The Incredible True Story of a Brilliant Teacher, a Struggling Town, and the Magic of Theater by Michael Sokolove.

Josh Radnor stars as Lou Mazzuchelli (the role inspired by Volpe) in a cast that also includes Rosie Perez, Marley Shelton, Damon J. Gillespie, Amy Forsyth, Rarmian Newton, Ted Sutherland, Casey Johnson, Taylor Richardson, Joe Tippett, and Shirley Rumierk.

Read: KRISTIN CHENOWETH AND JOSH RADNOR CAST IN NETWORK PILOTS

Also among the cast is Auli’i Cravalho, the voice of Disney’s Moana, which featured songs by Hamilton creator and star Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Read: MOANA STAR AULI'I CRAVALHO TO STAR IN DRAMA HIGH PILOT FOR NBC

Katims will write and executive produce. Mike Cahill will direct and executive produce. Michelle Lee, Seller and Flody Suarez also executive produce. Rise is produced by Universal Television, True Jack Productions and Seller Suarez Productions.

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