George Clooney’s ‘Good Night, and Good Luck’ to broadcast live on CNN

Edward R. Murrow is about to make television history again.

The legendary journalist, whom George Clooney is currently portraying on Broadway in the stage adaptation of his film Good Night, and Good Luck, will return to the world of TV news on June 7 when the production airs live on CNN.

This marks a major move for Broadway, having never before aired a live performance of a play on television. The telecast will take place during the show’s penultimate performance, airing at 7 p.m. ET across CNN properties. Good Night, and Good Luck will play its final performance on Sunday, June 8.

“I can’t tell you how exciting it is to do something that’s never been done,” Clooney said in a statement. “CNN is the perfect place to bring this story of courage to so many more people than we could have ever hoped. Live TV. No net. Buckle up everyone.”

The play, which was co-written by Clooney and longtime producing partner Grant Heslov, is based on Clooney’s 2005 film of the same name, borrowing its title from Murrow’s trademark sign-off. In the film, David Stathairn portrayed Murrow and earned an Oscar nomination, but Clooney stepped behind the anchor’s desk on stage to make his Broadway debut.

The show itself is quite timely in the ways it addresses freedom of the press and the importance of journalism in speaking truth to power. It centers on Murrow’s battle with Senator Joseph McCarthy, particularly in regards to McCarthy’s anti-communist actions and the work of the House of the Un-American Activities Committee.

“Good Night, and Good Luck is not just a celebration of a golden age in TV journalism,” said Chairman and CEO of CNN, Mark Thompson, in a statement. “It’s also about the importance of the free press and the need for strong news organizations to report the facts in a fair-minded way. That’s something we still care deeply about.”

The show itself also engages deeply with the medium of television, using screens heavily in its set design and storytelling. Ilana Glazer and Clark Gregg also star.

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The production has been nominated for five Tony Awards, including a nod for Clooney for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play.

Entertainment Weekly gave the production a B grade, writing, “While the story may be as timely and important as ever, the adaptation feels somewhat constrained by its reliance on the medium it celebrates and, by the end of the show, skewers.”