'Cheeky' musical show promised for Oscars

Lady Gaga, John Legend, Adam Levine and Rita Ora will be performing at the Oscars. Photo / AFP, AP

Lady Gaga. Jennifer Hudson. Common and John Legend. Adam Levine. Rita Ora. Tegan & Sara. Tim McGraw.

This isn't the lineup for an upcoming pop concert, but rather for the Academy Awards.

"We want to entertain," said Neil Meron, who is producing his third consecutive Oscar ceremony with Craig Zadan.

"And there's no better entertainment than to do it with music."

Host Neil Patrick Harris will perform an original song by the Oscar-winning writers behind Let It Go, the producers said.

Called Moving Pictures, the musical number will set a "subliminal theme" for the evening, Meron said.

"It really is celebratory about movies and yet it's kind of cheeky in a way," he said. "But yet it has a beautiful musical motif which ... we integrate throughout the show as kind of a call-back theme."

Music is part of the production pair's professional DNA, though. The two produced the The Sound of Music and Peter Pan live TV specials, as well as the movie musicals Hairspray and Chicago, which won the best picture Oscar in 2003.

The producers said they started booking musical acts even before they learned the year's nominees. But they were delighted with the nominated original songs.

"We were smiled upon in that respect," Meron said.

A spate of stars will bring those songs to life on the Oscar stage.

Common and Legend are set to perform their song, Glory, from Selma. Levine will sing Lost Stars from Begin Again. Ora will take on Diane Warren's song from Beyond the Lights, Grateful.

Tegan & Sara will join with The Lonely Island for The Lego Movie song, Everything is Awesome.

The producers wouldn't say what Hudson, Gaga and other entertainers, including Jack Black and Anna Kendrick, will sing.

- AP