HAIRSPRAY LIVE!, Starring Ariana Grande, Jennifer Hudson, Kristin Chenoweth, and More, Will Be Broadcast Online

By: May. 26, 2020
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HAIRSPRAY LIVE!, Starring Ariana Grande, Jennifer Hudson, Kristin Chenoweth, and More, Will Be Broadcast Online

Hairspray Live! will be broadcast online as part of The Shows Must Go On! The show will launch this Friday at 2:00pm EST and be available for 48 hours. The stream will be available on The Shows Must Go On's YouTube channel for viewers in the US, Europe, Australia, Asia, and Africa.

The all-star cast of Hairspray Live! features newcomer Maddie Baillio as Tracy Turnblad, Harvey Fierstein as Edna Turnblad, Jennifer Hudson as Motormouth Maybelle, Martin Short as Wilbur Turnblad, Derek Hough as Corny Collins, Ariana Grande as Penny Pingleton, Andrea Martin as Prudy Singleton and Kristin Chenoweth as Velma Von Tussle. Rosie O'Donnell and Sean Hayes also make special appearances in the broadcast.

Live television director Alex Rudzinski joins director Kenny Leon ("The Wiz Live!"). Craig Zadan and Neil Meron (the upcoming "A Few Good Men Live!") serve as executive producers of "Hairspray Live!" Harvey Fierstein provided a new teleplay and Jerry Mitchell ("Kinky Boots," "On Your Feet") served as choreographer for the live production with music and lyrics by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman ("Smash" and Broadway's upcoming "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory"). Derek McLane serves as production designer.

Based on the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical, "Hairspray Live!" takes place in 1962 Baltimore. Teenager Tracy Turnblad's dream is to dance on "The Corny Collins Show," a local TV program. When, against all odds, Tracy wins a role on the show, she becomes a celebrity overnight and meets a colorful array of characters, including the resident dreamboat, Link; the ambitious mean girl, Amber; an African-American boy she meets in detention, Seaweed; and his mother, Motormouth Maybelle, the owner of a local record store. Tracy's mother is the indomitable Edna Turnblad, and she eventually encourages Tracy on her campaign to integrate the all-white "Corny Collins Show."



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