Run And Tell That: Meet the Full Cast of Hairspray Live!

BWYBLK — Tue, 13 Sep 2016 07:33:33 +0000

The anticipation is over, as we now have our full principal company of NBC’s upcoming “Hairspray Live!” broadcast. Based on the 2002 Broadway musical and John Water’s 1988 film, the show follows Tracy Turnblad, a plus-sized dancer in 1960s Baltimore who strives to bring integration and diversity — big and small, black and white — to the local dance program, The Corny Collins Show, in the midst of the Civil Rights Movement.rnrnFresh off the success of both their respective broadcasts, Kenny Leon (“The Wiz Live!”) and Alex Rudzinski (“Grease Live!”) will co-direct, with a score by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, choreography by Tony-winner Jerry Mitchell, and a script adaptation by Harvey Fierstein, who also reprises his gender-bending, Tony-winning role of Edna Turnblad, Tracy’s mother. Craig Zadan and Neil Meron produce.rnrnLike it’s NBC Live predecessors, the “Hairspray Live!” cast features a diverse mix of screen, stage, television, and music artists:rnrnMaddie Baillio as “Tracy Turnblad”rnrnLike every major Tracy before her, Baillio arrives as a newcomer, having beaten out almost 1,000 other women for the role. She’s a sophomore at Marymount Manhattan College and an alumna of the Songbook Academy®.rnrnhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecFn213NKQ8rnrnDove Cameron as “Amber von Tussle”rnrnMany know Cameron for her duel roles in the Disney Channel television series “Liv and Maddie.” She also starred in the Disney Channel Original Movie “Descendants” and will reprise her role, “Mal,” in the upcoming sequel.rnrnhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqnZiKPFbPsrnrnKristin Chenoweth as “Velma von Tussle”rnrnThis Tony-winning soprano has made appearances in numerous stage, movies, and television shows, however most musical theatre fans know her as the original “Glinda” in the hit Broadway musical Wicked. Chenoweth will return to Broadway for a series of concerts this November to promote her new album “The Art of Elegance.” Having also starred in DCOM’s “Descendants,” this role marks her second time playing the villainous mother to Cameron.rnrnhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fD1hWjffGeErnrnGarrett Clayton as “Link Larkin”rnrnAs another Disney Channel star, Clayton burst onto the scene in 2013 when he starred in “Teen Beach Movie,” a modern send-up of 60s beach party films. It’s no accident he bares a slight resemblance to Zac Efron, who played Link in the 2007 film.rnrnhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tiiy6KFKTcrnrnBilly Eichner as “Rob Barker”rnrnWhile chances of Eichner doing any actual singing or dancing in the show are slim (he’ll play the local TV newscaster for Baltimore’s WZZT), the comedian has enough charm and humor to bring to the table. His comedy game show, “Billy on the Street,” earned him a Daytime Emmy nomination in 2013. He joined “Parks and Recreations” in its sixth season, and currently stars in the Hulu show “Difficult People.”rnrnhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIqym7eQWHornrnHarvey Fierstein as “Edna Turnblad”rnrnThere’s no question that this Broadway and film powerhouse has one of the most distinctive voices in entertainment, both in acting and writing. His play, Torch Song Trilogy, earned him two Tony Awards. He won another writing the book for La Cage aux Folles.rnrnhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEL_8gT4A6krnrnAriana Grande as “Penny Pingleton”rnrnMany have likened this Nickelodeon star and recording artist’s style and vocal range to Mariah Carey. She’s received two Grammy nominations and an MTV Video Music Award for her music. Her third album, “Dangerous Woman” debuted at number 2 on the Billboard 200. Grande got her start in 2008, making her Broadway debut in Jason Robert Brown’s musical 13.rnrnrnhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ekZEVeXwekrnrnSean Hayes as “Mr. Pinky”rnrnThis Broadway vet earned an Emmy Award and multiple SAG Awards for his outstanding portrayal of goofy, flamboyant, and frequently unemployed actor Jack McFarland on the hit NBC sitcom “Will & Grace.” He’s since starred in multiple movies and television shows, such as the short-lived “Sean Saves the World.” He recently closed the limited return engagement of An Act of God on Broadway.rnrnhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88AH9rcKZmkrnrnDerek Hough as “Corny Collins”rnrnThe competitive Latin and ballroom dancer gained wide recognition when he joined the ranks of professional instructors of ABC’s dance competition show “Dancing with the Stars,” which he’s won five times. He’s received two Emmy Awards for his choreography. Now in its 23rd season, Hough is paired with Marilu Henner.rnrnhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0zBPcmlwdcrnrnJennifer Hudson as “Motormouth Maybelle”rnrnHudson is no stranger to musical theatre, as she recently made her Broadway debut in the Tony-winning revival of The Color Purple as “Shug Avery.” She won an Oscar, a Golden Globe, a BAFTA Award, and a SAG Award in 2007 for her breakout performance as “Effie White” in the Dreamgirls film adaptation. Since then, she’s appeared in several films and released three studio albums.rnrnhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwzCbwaVhygrnrnAndrea Martin as “Prudy Pingleton”rnrnOne of Broadway’s favorite comediennes has appeared in countless films and TV shows, and recently picked up a Tony nomination for her performance in Noises Off. Martin also has two Tonys for My Favorite Year and her high-flying performance in the Diane Paulus-helmed Broadway revival of Pippin.rnrnhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WUHlqmD7jMrnrnRosie O’Donnell as “The Gym Teacher”rnrnO’Donnell has been a long-time fan of Broadway, having appeared in several shows and creating Rosie’s Broadway Kids, a charitable organization bringing free music and dance instruction to New York City public schools. She’s received multiple Emmy Awards for “The Rosie O’Donnell Show” and for hosting the 52nd Annual Tony Awards.rnrnhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSoGgmc2gg8rnrnMartin Short as “Wilbur Turnblad”rnrnShort’s last stint on Broadway was the Terrance McNally play, It’s Only a Play. He has multiple stage, film, and television credits to his name, including his recent NBC variety show, “Maya & Marty,” which also starred comedienne Maya Rudolph.rnrnhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFDcRo2ZUUQrnrnEphraim Sykes as “Seaweed J. Stubbs”rnrnSykes has five Broadway credits under his ~~dance~~-belt, including Newsies, Motown, and Hamilton. He recently appeared in the Martin Scorsese and Mick Jagger HBO series “Vinyl.”rnrnhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2qUZ5rFsd8rnrnShahadi Wright Joseph as “Little Inez”rnrnAny young singer who can pull off Streisand deserves all the amount of praise. Joseph made history at the age of 9 by being the youngest actress to play the role of “Young Nala” in The Lion King. She joined the cast of School of Rock in 2015. Additionally, she attends Trey Whitfield School.rnrnhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ra-HykLg3GcrnrnPaul Vogt as “Mr. Spritzer”rnrnVogt is no stranger to Hairspray, as he performed the role of Edna on Broadway in 2007. He’s appeared in several films and television shows, including the long-running comedy sketch show “MADtv.”rnrnhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7I-pphDRzHcrnrnMembers of the ensemble cast include: Josh Alexander, William Bell, Helene Britany, Riley Costello, Kelli Ann Erdmann, Zack Everhart, Sam Faulkner, Annie Gratton, Thomasina Gross, Marissa Heart, Joanna Jones, Jacque Lewarne, Tommy Martinez, Allie Meixner, Eliotte Nicole, Tiana Okoye, Amos Oliver III, Tyler Parks, Re’sean Pates, Andrew Pirozzi, Katherine Roarty, Rhon Sanders, Ricky Schroeder, Heather Tepe, Joy Marie Thomas, Mason Trueblood, Karl Skyler Urban, Keenan Washington, and Jason Williams.rnrnKamilah Marshall, Judine Somerville, and Shayna Steele, who portrayed “The Dynamites” in the original Broadway company reprise their roles. The trio appears in the number “Welcome to the 60s.” Unissa Cruse-Ferguson, a dancer from Baltimore, landed a spot in the broadcast after beating hundreds in an audition at the local Hippodrome Theatre.rnrn”Hairspray Live!” airs December 7th on NBC.

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Jennifer Hudson Will Star in Hairspray Live on NBC!

Andrew Shade — Mon, 25 Apr 2016 17:40:05 +0000

The casting for the new #HairsprayLive is rolling out and the role we were most curious about was that of “Motormouth Maybelle. Well, we’ve gotten the word and the current Broadway star of The Color Purple, Jennifer Hudson will follow in the footsteps of Queen Latifah as the rhyming & jivin’ Motormouth set to air December 7th at 8pm.rnrnWe’re loving that Hudson is living the full dream in great musicals. From her Oscar-winning performance in “Dreamgirls”, to starring on Broadway as “Shug Avery”, and now this? We’re extremely happy to see what she does in the role. She is suited for television and what’s better than a televised musical for someone of her caliber? Nothing.rnrnrnrnShe is joined by Harvey Fierstein who will reprise his Tony Award-winning role as “EdnaTurnblade”, he is also writing the teleplay, as he did for #TheWizLive.rn

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.”

rnJoining the creative team will be acclaimed television director Alex Rudzinski, who slayed the television direction of “Grease Live!” He will accompany and partner with stage director Kenny Leon. This is all getting very intersting.rnrn”Hairspray Live!” reunites Hudson with executive producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, who worked with her previously on NBC’s “Smash.”

The post Jennifer Hudson Will Star in Hairspray Live on NBC! appeared first on Broadway Black.

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Run And Tell That: Meet the Full Cast of Hairspray Live!

Jennifer Hudson Will Star in Hairspray Live on NBC!