‘You Can’t Stop the Beat’ NBC’s First Look At Hairspray Live!

NBC is adding another musical to their repertoire this December. Hairspray Live! will be producer’s Neil Meron and Craig Zadan’s fourth musical with the network.

Hairspray, originally a film in 1988, is about a young woman named Tracy, whose dream it is to dance on the Corny Collin’s show. Hairspray went onto Broadway, where it premiered in 2002, winning eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, and Best Score. Marisa Jaret Winokur, Matthew Morrison, and Harvey Fierstein, headlined the company. It was in 2007, that Hairspray was made into a film, again, but with music from the musical. It starred John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken, and as Tracy Nicky Blonsky.

It was announced earlier this year, that the new musical that NBC would be producing was Hairspray Live!, yet at the time no cast had been attached. Since its original announcement, the network has been announcing its  star studded lineup of actors. Starring as Tracy Turnblad is Maddie Baillio, as Tracy’s mother Edna is Harvey Fierstein who is reprising his role, as Velma Von Tussle is Broadway star Kristin Chenoweth, as Tracy’s best friend Penny is Ariana Grande, and as Mama Morton is Jennifer Hudson. The rest of the cast is Martin Short, Garret Clayton, Derek Hough, Andrea Martin, Rosie O’Donnell and Sean Hayes.

Robert Greenblat, NBC chairman, announced that this production will be doing things the previous ones have not attempted. Alex Rudzinski and Kenny Leon are co-directing the piece. Alex Rudzkinski is currently nominated for an Emmy for his direction of Grease Live! and Kenny Leon was nominated for his work on The Wiz Live!. Unlike the previous productions NBC has produced, this one will be shot on the backlot of Universal Studios in Hollywood and will feature a live audience as people from Baltimore and audience members of the ‘Corny Collins Show’

Hairspray Live! will premiere on December 7th 2016. Take a look below at NBC’s first promo with it’s all star cast.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZ7K0sbmIKk