“Glee” mastermind Ryan Murphy is stepping away from full control of his hit Fox musical show and is taking a back seat to concentrate on writing and directing his latest project, “The New Normal,” according to sources.
Late last month NBC ordered a comedy pilot from Murphy and “Glee” co-executive producer A
llison Adler for the half-hour show, which Murphy will direct. The project about a gay couple and a woman who becomes their surrogate stars Andrew Rannells from “The Book of Mormon.”
Dante Di Loreto is writing the “New Normal” script with Murphy and Adler. And Ellen Barkin is negotiating to join the cast.
Sources tell us Murphy is now pouring most of his attention into the show. One said, “Ryan is technically off ‘Glee’ and [co-creator] Brad Falchuck has taken over the day-to-day running. After some drama and discord with the cast last year, and with Ryan being very outspoken in the press, it was suggested by his aides that he relax a little.”
The source added, “He still has an immense influence over ‘Glee.’ But the truth is Ryan has lots of ideas, he was getting a little bored and is ready [for] new projects.”
Since “Glee” became a breakout hit for Fox, writer-producer Murphy has battled rumors of drama within the cast and issues reportedly caused by his outspoken, direct nature.
Last summer he blamed the media after back-pedaling over his claim that the characters played by Chris Colfer, Lea Michele and Cory Monteith would be leaving the show this year.
More recently Murphy has been spreading his wings into very different types of projects, including last season’s gritty and camp FX series “American Horror Story.”
A rep for Murphy said: “I’m not sure where you heard that, but it is totally false. Ryan is and will continue to be 100 percent involved with and committed to ‘Glee,’ as he is with ‘American Horror Story’ and as he will be with ‘The New Normal.’ ” Wait . . . isn’t that 300 percent?