Comedian Martin Short and triple-threat performer Derek Hough have joined the cast of NBC’s live broadcast of the Tony-winning musical Hairspray.
Tony winner Short (Fame Becomes Me, It’s Only a Play, Primetime Glick) will play Wilbur Turnblad, opposite original Broadway star Harvey Fierstein, who will repeat his Tony-winning performance as Edna Turnblad.
Hough, who is slated to make his Broadway debut next season in Singin’ in the Rain, will play TV host Corny Collins.
Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson (The Color Purple, Dreamgirls) will play Motormouth Maybelle.
Exclusive: Hairspray Live! to Feature Live Audience and New Songs
The live broadcast will take place December 7.
Producers of the upcoming live broadcast of the Tony-winning Broadway musical Hairspray began the search for a young actress to take on the starring role of Tracy Turnblad with open auditions on April 24 in New York City.
Also joining the creative team is television director Alex Rudzinski, who received extraordinary reviews for his television direction of Grease Live! Rudzinski was also the TV director for Dancing With the Stars 2005-14.
Based on the 1988 John Waters film of the same name, Hairspray won 2003 Tony Awards for Best Score (Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman), Best Book (Thomas Meehan and Mark O'Donnell), Best Actress in a Musical (Marissa Jaret Winokur), Best Actor (Harvey Fierstein), Best Featured Actor in a Musical (Dick Latessa), Best Costume Design (William Ivey Long), Best Musical and Best Direction of a Musical. Jack O'Brien directed the original Broadway production, which featured choreography by Jerry Mitchell.
