Jennifer Lopez will throw party for "Amigas"

Jennifer Lopez poses at the Los Angeles premiere of the film 'El Cantante' at
the Directors Guild Theatre in Los Angeles, California July 31, 2007.[AP]

Jennifer Lopez is developing a TV series about five Miami teens who run a Quinceanera party-planning business.

"The Amigas Sweet 15 Club" is being billed as a half-hour comedy with dramatic undertones. It is based on an original idea by Jane Startz, who produced the film and TV series based on the popular "The Baby-Sitters Club" books.

Startz will executive produce with Lopez.

In addition to the music-centric TV show, they plan to develop "Amigas" into a series of young adult books, Latin music-inspired CDs and potentially other franchise properties targeting female tweens.

The TV series follows the "Amigas" as they use their collective talents (one is a singer, one is a DJ, one is a graphic artist, etc.) to launch an after-school party-planning business aimed at helping Latina girls throw their dream Quinceanera (Sweet 15) bashes.

Each episode of the potential series would focus on a different girl and on how her family and cultural background play into planning the event.

In the past decade, Latin culture has gone mainstream with such crossover music artists as Lopez, her husband Marc Anthony and Shakira. It also has moved into primetime, most recently with the success of ABC's "Ugly Betty," also told from the perspective of young Latinas.

Startz hopes to use as a vehicle to break up-and-coming Latin artists.

Lopez will be heavily involved in all producing aspects of the project, specifically music and casting, said Simon Fields, a principal at Lopez' Nuyorican Prods. banner.

Nuyorican has produced such feature films as "Shall We Dance" and "El Cantante" as well as the MTV series "Dance Life." Startz' credits also include the features "Tuck Everlasting" and "Ella Enchanted."