"A Christmas Story" live musical coming to FOX in December; Maya Rudolph plays Ralphie's mom

NEW YORK — The FOX network has cast Maya Rudolph to help lead the live TV musical "A Christmas Story" this winter.

The "Saturday Night Live" veteran and star of "Bridesmaids" will play the mother of nine-year-old Ralphie Parker, the boy at the center of the musical who dreams of landing an air rifle for Christmas.

The show will air December 17th. More casting will be announced later.

The Broadway production of "A Christmas Story: The Musical" opened in 2012 with a score by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, recent Tony Award winners for the musical "Dear Evan Hansen." It was nominated for three Tony Awards, including best musical, best book and best original score.

The musical is based on the 1983 film, which was based on Jean Shepherd's semiautobiographical story.