Another network TV show is coming to Chicago: “The Big Leap,” a Fox series about would-be ballet dancers on a reality show.
Fox confirmed Wednesday that it has ordered a full season of the one-hour drama, which imagines a group of down-in-their-luck dancers agreeing to be filmed while putting together a production of “Swan Lake.” An actual reality series like that, “Big Ballet,” aired in Britain in 2014.
Scott Foley of “Scandal” and “Felicity” leads the cast, which also includes Piper Perabo (“Covert Affairs”), Teri Polo (“The Fosters”), Kevin Daniels (“Sirens”) and Jon Rudnitsky (“Saturday Night Live”)
The series pilot was shot in the Chicago area in late 2020 and early 2021 at locations including the historic Rialto Square Theatre in Joliet. Production shut down temporarily when someone at the series tested positive for COVID-19.
Fox confirmed cast and crew will return to Chicago to film the series. A Rialto spokeswoman had no information on whether the show would be back there.
The lineup of current national series now shooting here includes NBC’s Dick Wolf triumverate of “Chicago Fire,” “Chicago P.D.” and “Chicago Med,” HBO Max’s “South Side” and Showtime’s “The Chi” and “Work in Progress.” Two new series — AMC’s “61st Street” and Starz’s “Power Book IV: Force” — also are in the works in Chicago for future debuts.
