Twin music duo Tegan and Sara‘s best-selling memoir “High School” will be adapted as an original series for Amazon’s IMDb TV free, ad-supported streaming service.
The show, announced as part of Amazon’s first-ever NewFronts presentation Monday, will be executive produced by identical twins Tegan and Sara and writer-director-actor Clea DuVall.
“High School” is a coming-of-age scripted series described as “a transcendent story of first loves and first songs.” The series, to stream exclusively on IMDb TV, is produced by Amazon Studios and Brad Pitt’s Plan B Entertainment.
News of the Tegan and Sara project for IMDb TV comes after IMDb TV also announced orders for a half-hour crime drama from Dick Wolf, docuseries “Luke Bryan: My Dirt Road Diary” and a home-design series with interior designer Jeff Lewis; and five originals in development, including coming-of-age comedy “Primo” from “The Good Place” creator Michael Schur and author Shea Serrano.
“‘High School’ is a story about finding your own identity — a journey made even more complicated when you have a twin whose own struggle and self-discovery so closely mimics your own,” according to the working description of the series. “Told through a backdrop of ’90s grunge and rave culture, the series weaves between parallel and discordant memories of twin sisters growing up down the hall from one another.”
Tegan and Sara Quin said in a joint statement, “We are incredibly excited to be working with Lauren, Ryan, and the fantastic IMDb TV team to bring ‘High School’ to life and apologize in advance to our mother for forcing her to relive this period of time with us again. We’ve made casting suggestions on her behalf to the incomparable Clea DuVall and our wonderful partners at Plan B.”
In addition to executive producing, DuVall will write and direct multiple episodes, including the pilot. DuVall recently directed and co-wrote holiday comedy “Happiest Season” on Hulu and co-created, executive produces and voices the character of Elsa in Fox’s new animated comedy “HouseBroken.” She also is known for her on-camera roles in “The Handmaid’s Tale,” “Veep,” “Argo” and other movies and TV series.
DuVall commented, “I am grateful to Plan B, Amazon Studios and IMDb TV for their partnership in bringing Tegan and Sara’s beautiful and complex memoir to life.”
“High School” is part of an overall TV deal between Plan B and Amazon Studios. Plan B’s projects for Prime Video include “The Underground Railroad” from Oscar-winning director Barry Jenkins, premiering May 13; series “Outer Range” created by Brian Watkins; and “Paper Girls,” with Legendary Television, based on Brian K. Vaughan’s best-selling graphic novel.
“Tegan and Sara’s honest, vulnerable and deeply engaging memoir has captivated readers and we look forward to their authentic voice and Clea’s unique perspective being brought to life in this adaptation,” said Lauren Anderson and Ryan Pirozzi, co-heads of content and programming at IMDb TV, in a statement.
IMDb TV’s lineup of originals include two recently launched docuseries — “Moment of Truth” and “Top Class: The Life and Times of the Sierra Canyon Trailblazers,” which has been renewed for a second season. Other series coming to the AVOD service include a spinoff of Amazon Studios’ “Bosch”; the second season of “Alex Rider”; the comedy series “Sprung” from Greg Garcia; and an untitled Judge Judy Sheindlin show.
