HispanicBusiness

NBC has set Dec. 5 as the debut date of its live TV production of "The Sound of Music," starring Oklahoma's country music star Carrie Underwood.

The network made the announcement at its upfront presentation in New York, deadline.com reported Monday.

A Checotah native, Underwood will star as Maria Von Trapp, a role made famous by Julie Andrews.

Craig Zadan and Neil Meron will serve as executive producers for the three-hour event.

"It's a great challenge, which I appreciate," Underwood told the website. "Everybody keeps saying, 'People don't do this anymore, singing live!'"

Underwood also told people.com she wasn't going to try to fill the shoes of Andrews, who was Oscar-nominated for her role in the 1965 film.

The British star "just has this royal air," Underwood, who has never met Andrews, said in the article. "It would be like you're beneath her!"

"I think once people tune in and realize that (our version) is not a remake, they won't compare it to the movie," she said.

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