Hairspray Live! DivaGalsDaily Gets A Sneak Peek On The Production’s L.A. Set!
By Delaina Dixon | November 28, 2016 | Entertainment, Gals On The Town
We are all kinds of excited for NBC’s upcoming presentation of Hairspray Live!, which will broadcast on Dec. 7. The network made a major change with this year’s live musical treat: it will unfold on the Universal lot in Los Angeles. So of course, TV DivaGal had to head across the country to check it out firsthand!
This adaption, based on the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical — which is based on John Waters’ iconic 1988 film about a plump teenager helping to integrate a local TV dance show in 1962 — will be broadcasting live from interior sets, like Edna Turnblad’s livingroom…
…And outside like the front of Motormouth Maybelle’s record store. Jennifer Hudson is slipping into Motormouth’s big, blonde and beautiful look!
On the set of the Corny Collins show, director/producer Kenny Leon, who worked his magic on last year’s The Wiz, explained why this airing of Hairspray means so much more after our most recent political election process. “It’s actually a blessing to be in the throngs of this after [the election]. And it’s emphasized the role of artists in our world. It gave me an opportunity to talk to the company about the importance of what we do,” he shared. “This is a fun, feel-good musical about inclusion. It’s probably the largest thing I’ve ever worked on, but it’s probably going to be the most rewarding artistically, politically, socially and culturally.”
Broadway fans are gonna love that Hamilton’s Ephraim Sykes and School of Rock’s Shahadi Joseph Wright are in the cast as Seaweed and Little Inez, respectively. And we had to pay homage to the Dynamites from the original Broadway production: Kamilah Marshall, Judine Somerville and Shayna Steele, who are reprising their roles in the live production.
We also hear that the first two Tracy Tunblads, Ricki Lake and Marissa Jaret Winokur, are making cameo appearances. Could they be spotted at Mr. Pinky’s Hefty Hideaway?
Any show that promotes integration and unity through the guise of a giant hairspray gets props in our book!
Watch Hairspray Live! on Wednesday, Dec. 7 at 8 p.m. on NBC.
