They join Maddie Baillio, Martin Short, Harvey Fierstein, Derek Hough, Jennifer Hudson, Kristin Chenoweth and Ariana Grande who were earlier cast for “Hairspray Live!”.
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Like all of NBC’s live musicals, Hairspray Live is exec produced by Meron and Zadan with Kenny Leon attached to direct with Alex Rudzinski also on board as the live TV director.
Sean Hayes, he of Will & Grace fame, and Rosie O’Donnell are joining NBC’s Hairspray Live!
Hayes will take on the role of Mr. Pinky, owner of the dress shop, while O’Donnell has been cast as the gym teacher. “I’m just happy to do this particular story at this particular time in our country when race relations are where they are”. “You don’t update history”, he said.
Big news indeed for “Hairspray” fans, and now “Hairspray Live!” – which will return Harvey Fierstein to the role he memorably established on Broadway almost 15 years ago, as Edna Turnblad – is almost complete, as far as casting is concerned. “We can change laws but the war is to change hearts, and nothing does that like song does”.
Actors also will be on hand to salute Bennett, including Alec Baldwin, Steve Buscemi, Kevin Spacey, John Travolta and Bruce Willis, with more participants for the two-hour program to be announced, NBC said. “She felt it. Basically, she loved the fact that [Penny] held off those powerful pipes until the very end”. “Penny’s been my favorite character since the start”.
“It’s a dream come true for me…. I love Penny and it’s a great honor to play her, so I don’t want any special icing”, Grande said. The actress said the role of Velma is one she wanted to play since the show’s pre-Broadway days.
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“I don’t want to change anything about the role or how she develops”, she said on the panel.
