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Netflix has formed a multi-year overall deal with Kenny Ortega, the filmmaker, producer and choreographer known for the “High School Musical” franchise, the streamer announced Tuesday.

Netflix is fast tracking two new projects from Ortega, the first a film called “Auntie Claus” (working title) that he will direct and executive produce, and a series that he will executive produce called “Julie and the Phantoms.”

“Auntie Claus” is a musical based on the popular book series of the same name by Elise Primavera involving a young girl determined to get to the bottom of why her eccentric, Christmas-loving Aunt disappears every Christmas. It will be adapted by Tiffany Paulsen.

“Julie and the Phantoms” is a musical comedy series in development based on an International Emmy Award-nominated Brazilian TV series. Julie is a teenaged girl who finds her...

High School Musical franchise filmmaker Kenny Ortega has signed a multi-year overall deal with Netflix with his first two projects being a feature musical adaptation of Elise Primavera’s book series Auntie Claus, and the original series Julie and the Phantoms.

Ortega will direct and produce Auntie Claus (working title) which follows a young girl who is determined to get to the bottom of why her eccentric, Christmas-loving Aunt disappears every Christmas. Tiffany Paulsen will adapt.

Julie and the Phantoms, which Ortega will executive produce, is a musical comedy series based on an International Emmy Award-nominated Brazilian television series. Julie is a teenage girl who finds her passion for music and life with the help of a high-concept band of three teen boys (The Phantoms) who have been dead for 25 years. Julie, in turn, helps them become the band they were never able to be. Dan Cross and David Hoge will serve as showrunners and EPs on the series, with George Salinas and Jaime Aymerich of Crossover Entertainment, as well as Hugo Janeba and Joao Tikhmiroff of Mixer Entertainment. Jason La Padura and Natalie Hart (High School Musical and Descendants trilogies) are now casting the titular roles. Truman Alfaro will serve as Ortega’s development executive.

“Throughout the course of his career, Kenny Ortega has inspired generations of artists and audiences alike. That he has chosen to make Netflix his creative home to work on both feature films and series is thrilling. We can’t wait to see what he brings to Netflix to delight musical-loving families and audiences around the globe,” said Netflix Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos.

“As a fan of Netflix and their dynamic range of high quality content, I am thrilled to begin a creative relationship with the company. I’m super excited about the projects we already have in development and the shared enthusiasm I feel from the company. l look forward to this new Netflix collaboration with the highest hopes,” said Ortega.

Ortega’s work as a producer, director and choreographer have earned him three Primetime Emmys: two for Outstanding Choreography and one in the Variety/Music/Comedy Program Directing category (Xix Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony). He is also a two-time DGA award winner in the Children’s Program section for High School Musical and Descendants. Ortega directed and choreographed international hits including the Descendants trilogy, Newsies, and Hocus Pocus, and choreographed classic films including Dirty Dancing, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, and Pretty in Pink, among others. When Disney’s High School Musical 3 made its jump from TV to the big screen, the feature surprised opening to $42M at the domestic B.O. and racking up close to $252M globally off an $11M budget. Ortega directed the Michael Jackson doc about the pop legend’s final concert, This Is It, which grossed over $261M at the worldwide box office.

Ortega is represented by Paradigm and Barry Littman at Hanson, Jacobson, Teller, Hoberman, Newman, Warren, Richman, Rush, Kaller and Gellman.

Dan Cross, David Hoge and Crossover are represented by Paradigm and Darren Trattner at Jackaway , Tyerman, Wertheimer, Austen, Mandelbaum Morris and Klein.

More than 10 years after "High School Musical" became a global phenomenon, Disney Channel is getting ready to return to East High one more time. A nationwide casting search begins today for a planned Disney Channel Original Movie, "High School Musical 4," that will continue the story of the sensation "High School Musical" - and introduce new East High Wildcats and their cross-town school rivals, the West High Knights. DGA Award nominee Jeffrey Hornaday (Disney Channel's "Teen Beach Movie," "Teen Beach 2") is attached to direct and choreograph the movie. The casting directors are Jason La Padura, C.S.A., Natalie Hart, C.S.A., and Kendra...

More than 10 years after High School Musical became a global phenomenon, Disney Channel is getting ready to return to East High one more time. A nationwide casting search begins today for a planned Disney Channel Original Movie, High School Musical 4, that will continue the story of the global sensation High School Musical - and introduce new East High Wildcats and their cross-town school rivals, the West High Knights. DGA Award nominee Jeffrey Hornaday (Disney Channel's Teen Beach Movie, Teen Beach 2) is attached to direct and choreograph the movie.

The casting directors are Jason La Padura, C.S.A., Natalie Hart, C.S.A., and Kendra Patterson, C.S.A., of Lapadura/Hart/Patterson. Information on open casting calls to be scheduled this spring will soon be posted at DisneyChannel.com/OpenCall. Here's what Gary Marsh, president and chief creative officer, Disney Channels Worldwide, had to say in a statement.

Exclusive: Meet the offspring of Cruella De Vil, Maleficent, the Evil Queen and Jafar. Disney Channel has ordered to production Descendants, its first live-action original movie tapping into Disney’s vault of classic fairytale characters. Directed by High School Musical helmer and choreographer Kenny Ortega in his return to Disney Channel, the contemporary adventure-comedy revolves around the progeny of some of Disney’s most evil villains, introducing a modern generation of teenagers who question the evil that’s always been in their hearts. Casting is underway, overseen by High School Musical casting directors Natalie Hart and Jason La Padura, with production slated to begin in the spring for a 2015 premiere on Disney Channel. “We mined Disney’s treasure trove of stories and developed a new, comedic approach to the fabled characters everyone knows and loves,” said Gary Marsh, President and Chief Creative Officer of Disney Channels Worldwide. “The result is...

As pilot season continues, casting directors have been hired for four recently-announced ABC television pilots, including two dramas and two comedies, Backstage has confirmed.“Doubt,” a legal drama pilot from “House” creator David Shore, follows a former cop who now uses his street smarts to help his clients as a cunning but low-rent lawyer, while also trying to win back his ex-wife. Casting director Liz Dean of Ulrich/Dawson/Kritzer (Udk) Casting will cast the pilot, which has not confirmed production dates or location. Dean’s TV credits include “Rizzoli & Isles,” “Nip/Tuck,” and the pilot episode of the new NBC series “Do No Harm.”A second drama pilot, “Influence,” will be cast by Jason La Padura and Natalie Hart. The project is about two brothers—one a bipolar genius psychologist, the other an ex-con—who lead an agency that solves its clients’ problems through the science of motivation and manipulation.

Jason La Padura made his Broadway debut as an actor in William Inge's "Summer Brave" before turning his talents to roles behind the scenes, including stage manager, production manager, and assistant to the director. He has been a casting director for 28 years. For more than 20 of those years, he and his sister, Natalie Hart, have run their own L.A.-based casting company, La Padura & Hart, casting a wide variety of film, television, and stage projects. Among these are NBC's "Heroes," "Crossing Jordan," and currently "The Event." For the Walt Disney Co., La Padura has cast all the "High School Musical" films, as well as the "Camp Rock" and "Halloweentown" series of TV movies. He has been nominated for two Emmys and 10 Artios Awards (winning for best children's program for "High School Musical") and is the recipient of a Media Access Award, presented by the state of California for...

Crime dramas, conspiracy thrillers, and down-home narratives about youthful angst will be among the new shows entering our homes this fall TV season. All will be seeking actors for a range of roles: guest spots, recurring, perhaps even a principal part. We spoke to CDs of several shows to find out what they might need. "Body of Proof," Drama, ABCAs the title suggests, "Body of Proof" is a crime drama. But it's somewhat different from the usual fare, says casting director Rosalie Joseph. In addition to solving murders, the characters are advocates for the victims, giving peace and closure to their survivors. Set in Philadelphia (but shot in Providence, R.I.), the story centers on Dr. Megan Hunt (Dana Delaney), a top-notch neurosurgeon who is forced to give up her medical practice in the wake of a devastating car crash and resume her career as a medical examiner. But within...