Hairspray Live! (NBC) - General Discussion

[Tara Ariano]

Here's the place to discuss NBC's next live musical, coming Wednesday, December 7, at 8 PM ET on NBC!

[BW Manilowe]

Harvey Fierstein has been cast as Edna Turnblad (he won the Tony Award for the role in the Broadway musical version) & Jennifer Hudson has been cast as Motormouth Maybelle.

http://variety.com/2016/tv/news/jennifer-hudson-harvey-fierstein-hairspray-nbc-1201759940/

[Trini]

Casting is looking good so far!

[methodwriter85]

Man, they're REALLY stacking the casting deck for this one. I guess to leave room for an unknown as Tracy?

[truelovekiss]

SO excited for this!  I love Hairspray :)

[Princess Sparkle]

They've added Martin Short as Wilbur Turnblad, and Derek Hough as Corny Collins.

[JustaPerson]

I'm sure DK will be great, but Matthew Morrison as Corny would have been very full circle (plus he's much more experienced with this type of live performance)

[Trini]

http://www.nbc.com/hairspray-live

'Hairspray Live: Meet the Newcomer Cast as Tracy Turnblad in NBC Musical':

Quote

Newcomer Maddie Baillio will soon be singing “Good Morning Baltimore.”

The Today show on Tuesday announced that the up-and-coming singer/actress has been cast as Tracy Turnblad in NBC’s Hairspray Live!, following an open casting call in April.

Edited June 7, 2016 by Trini

[Scarlett45]

On April 25, 2016 at 2:40 PM, BW Manilowe said:

Harvey Fierstein has been cast as Edna Turnblad (he won the Tony Award for the role in the Broadway musical version) & Jennifer Hudson has been cast as Motormouth Maybelle.

http://variety.com/2016/tv/news/jennifer-hudson-harvey-fierstein-hairspray-nbc-1201759940/

Will they pad Jennifer Hudson? She's so thin now (looks great), they are going to have to do something costuming wise for the part. 

[Chrissytd]

Kristen Chenoweth is Velma.

http://tvline.com/2016/06/21/kristin-chenoweth-hairspray-live-cast/

Edited June 21, 2016 by Chrissytd

[vibeology]

That's pretty much a perfect piece of casting.

[Princess Sparkle]

We've got more casting news - Arianna Grande is going to be Penny.

[Rick Kitchen]

Yuck!  I hope somebody teaches her how to enunciate before she gets inflicted on us.

[bref]

So who are we still waiting on? Seaweed, Linc, Amber? I am embarrassed by how excited I am. Hairspray is probably one of my top five shows. 

Martin Short takes a lot of crap lately, but I can actually see him being an appealing Wilbur. His song-and-dance with Edna is my least favorite number, but am I going to complain for a second when I get to see Harvey Fierstein in this role? No, I am not.

[BoogieBurns]

I thought I read Zac Efron was rumored for Corny Collins. Kind of a letdown that it's just Derek Hough. I liked that Zac would have been two characters in 10 years.

Loving Kristen Chenoweth, can't wait to hear Ms. Baltimore Crabs. Twist twist twist twist mashed potato mambo. 

[Sara2009]

On April 30, 2016 at 11:08 PM, JustaPerson said:

I'm sure DK will be great, but Matthew Morrison as Corny would have been very full circle (plus he's much more experienced with this type of live performance)

I agree that it would've been fun because he was the original Link. Derek Hough DOES have musical theater experience, though. He was in "Footloose" on the West End.

[Princess Sparkle]

I saw over the weekend that Becca Tobin (from Glee) will be playing Amber.  I never watched Glee, so I have no opinion of her in that regard, but I do thoroughly enjoy her podcast The Ladygang, so I'm excited to see her.

[Sara2009]

On July 11, 2016 at 3:45 PM, Princess Sparkle said:

I saw over the weekend that Becca Tobin (from Glee) will be playing Amber.  I never watched Glee, so I have no opinion of her in that regard, but I do thoroughly enjoy her podcast The Ladygang, so I'm excited to see her.

She tweeted that that was false info.

[Rick Kitchen]

Amber and Linc have been cast.

http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Dove-Cameron-and-Garrett-Clayton-Join-NBCS-All-Star-HAIRSPRAY-LIVE-Cast-20160801

Edited August 2, 2016 by Rick Kitchen

[Rick Kitchen]

Sean Hayes and Rosie O'Donnell have joined the cast.

http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Sean-Hayes-and-Rosie-ODonnell-Join-Cast-of-NBCs-Hairspray-Live-20160802

[BW Manilowe]

Andrea Martin has been cast as Mrs. Pingleton (Penny Pingleton's mother).

http://www.ew.com/article/2016/08/18/hairspray-live-andrea-martin

[Trini]

First promo:

[Dee]

Still no casting announcements for Seaweed or Inez? Wow.

[methodwriter85]

On 8/2/2016 at 3:16 PM, Rick Kitchen said:

Amber and Linc have been cast.

http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Dove-Cameron-and-Garrett-Clayton-Join-NBCS-All-Star-HAIRSPRAY-LIVE-Cast-20160801

I'm not huge on Dover Cameron, but Garrett Clayton is actually perfect casting. He's a scenery chewer in the best sense. Tanner was a great teen beach idol parody character in Teen Beach Movie.

Here's him in character.

He looks DAMN good in that early 1960's look.

Edited August 31, 2016 by methodwriter85

[Dee]

NBC's Hairspray Live! Mines Broadway for Its Seaweed and Little Inez

Quote

NBC's Hairspray Live!, airing on December 7 at 8pm ET/PT, tops off its starry cast with two actors coming straight from the Broadway stage. Hamilton's Ephraim Sykes will take on the role of Seaweed — love interest of Penny Pingleton, played by Ariana Grande — while School of Rock star (and former Young Nala of The Lion King) Shahadi Wright Joseph will play Seaweed's talented sister Little Inez. Sykes' other Broadway credits include Motown, Newsies, Memphis, and The Little Mermaid.

[BatmanBeatles]

They are so cute!

[BW Manilowe]

Billy Eichner has been added to the cast as Baltimore newscaster Rob Barker.

http://variety.com/2016/tv/news/billy-eichner-hairspray-live-nbc-1201867443/

[vibeology]

Ephraim Sykes is amazing so I'm thrilled with that casting choice. I'm really hopeful about this whole thing.

[Dee]

The Hairspray Live cast performed 'You Can't Stop The Beat' at The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

[starri]

I'm really, really excited for this.  Hairspray is just such a silly, joyful show, I think my mood needs it, and I think it's really perfect for the format.

I have a few casting quibbles, but they're pretty minor.  I love Jennifer Hudson, but I would have rather seen Audra McDonald or Renee Elise Goldsberry as Motormouth.  But the former just had a baby and the latter was still under contract to Hamilton for most of the year.  I'm sure JHud will be great, though.

[starri]

I love the little details on the storefronts.  "Divine Pet Food" (with a flamingo on the sign), "Ruth's Place, "Waters Plumbing."  I'm betting there's a "Lake _______" in there too.

Edited December 4, 2016 by starri

[aradia22]

I've just realized I'm going to be out Wednesday seeing Falsettos so I won't be joining in "Live." I might check in a day or two later though.

[starri]

I hope it's not just me here tonight.

[random chance]

I'm here!

[starri]

I'll say this for Derek Hough, he is exactly whitebread enough for this.

[mtlchick]

I'm here too!  Peter Pan aside, I've been loving the TV musicals.  

I'll start: for a singer, Derek is one hell of a dancer.  

[random chance]

Ha he is whitebread indeed.

I saw this movie about a hundred years ago and I don't remember much about it, so I apologize in advance for being poor company.

[starri]

However, there is no one better than Kristen Chenoweth for Velma.  No one.  Not a single person.

[Luckylyn]

This Tracy seems like a weak singer.  She doesn't have that spark that Ricki and Nikki had.

[HoosierJen]

Agreed, Luckylyn. She's probably just nervous....hopefully she'll settle in. 

[mtlchick]

At least I'll be able to understand Ariana Grande's singing for a change. 

[Luckylyn]

Just now, HoosierJen said:

Agreed, Luckylyn. She's probably just nervous....hopefully she'll settle in. 

That's a good point.  She might be nervous.   Maybe she just needs to warm up.

[bmoore4026]

I have a feeling Tracy is flubbing her lines.  Maybe my ears are playing tricks on me.  Also, I think she missed a few lines during "Good morning, Baltimore."

[random chance]

I know Kristen Chenoweth is a big deal on Broadway but my entire knowledge of her is that locker room scene on Frasier. Which is one of the funniest scenes ever.

[starri]

Just now, bmoore4026 said:

Also, I think she missed a few lines during "Good morning, Baltimore."

I think that was the sound cutting out.

"Mama, I'm a Big Girl Now" is by far my favorite song in the show.  I was always disappointed they cut it from the movie.  Ariana Grande is stronger than I thought she would be.

[random chance]

2 minutes ago, bmoore4026 said:

I have a feeling Tracy is flubbing her lines.  Maybe my ears are playing tricks on me.  Also, I think she missed a few lines during "Good morning, Baltimore."

I thought she did too, there were a few weird silences.

Edited December 8, 2016 by random chance

[Luckylyn]

2 minutes ago, bmoore4026 said:

I have a feeling Tracy is flubbing her lines.  Maybe my ears are playing tricks on me.  Also, I think she missed a few lines during "Good morning, Baltimore."

I wasn't sure if there was a problem with the audio or if she missed lines. 

[Frost]

I wondering if her mike cut out, or if she just forgot the words a couple of times.

[Quickbeam]

I feel like everyone is singing rings around Maddie. 

[Frost]

Who's the dorky 'host' interviewing the crowd?