Zadan and Meron have been behind each of NBC’s previous live musical efforts. But now, in an odd spin, the musical will see another iteration in which it’s simultaneously a live and onscreen performance – for it’s been selected as NBC’s next live musical, à la The Wiz, Peter Pan and the Sound of Music before it. “That title seems really fun and I think it will be really great live”, said NBC chairman Bob Greenblatt.
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Greenblatt, who cautioned that contracts remain to be signed for Hairspray, said NBC has started a musical trend for other networks. These are 14 of the best musical moments that ever aired on television.
Greenblatt said that when NBC publicly cut business ties with Trump last summer, “Most of us thought he would be waltzing into the background of the political arena”. “That’s going to inform what the next show is going to be”.
Similar to “The Wiz” and NBC’s standing list of live television musicals, “Hairspray” is sure to have an all-star cast, although no official announcements regarding the roles have been made.
Hairspray, which first hit the big screen in 1988, centred on an overweight teen dreaming of landing a spot on her favourite TV dance show.
As a fat girl who loves dancing to pop music, Hairspray – both the fantastic Broadway musical and the John Waters film on which it’s based – resonates with me deep in my core, so I was thrilled to find out that Tracy Turnblad is coming to NBC!
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They may be calling on some of those names again – Christopher Walken starred in Peter Pan as Captain Hook two years ago, and Elijah Kelley and Queen Latifah were standouts in The Wiz as The Scarecrow and the Wizard, respectively.
