Disney XD books 'I'm With The Band'

[ALIASd]

'Band' lands Disney XD gig

Project's pilot to be helmed by Shelley Jensen

By Nellie Andreeva and Kimberly Nordyke
The Hollywood Reporter
Nov 6, 2008, 12:00 AM ET

Disney XD, the network that will launch in February following the rebranding of Toon Disney, has greenlighted a live-action pilot about a rock band from creators Michael Kaplan and Ron Rappaport.

The multicamera project, titled "I'm With the Band," centers on a tween boy who gets hired as the lead guitar player for a Spinal Tap-type band that was popular in the '80s and is looking to make a comeback.

Veteran sitcom director Shelley Jensen, whose credits range from Disney Channel's "Hannah Montana" to "The Jamie Foxx Show" and "The Drew Carey Show," is on board to helm the pilot.

Kaplan is executive producing, with Rappaport serving in a producing capacity.

Kaplan, who has worked on such sitcoms as "Frasier" -- for which he shared a best series Emmy in 1997 -- and "Girlfriends," is repped by ICM and attorney Peter Nelson. Rappaport (MTV's "Next") is repped by ICM.

Disney said in August that it will rebrand its U.S.-based Toon Disney TV and online platforms as Disney XD, featuring a mix of live-action and animated programming targeted primarily to boys 6-14. Inaugural programming will include the live-action single-camera series "Aaron Stone."

'Band' lands Disney XD gig