Martin Short will play Wilbur Turnblad in NBC’s Hairspray Live!
Comedian and actor Martin Short and dancer Derek Hough are the latest big name stars to join the cast of US broadcaster NBC’s Hairspray Live!
Award-winning comedy star Short will play Wilbur Turnblad while Dancing With the Stars stalwart turned actor Hough will play Corny Collins in the production alongside the already announced Broadway legend Harvey Fierstein and Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson.
Fierstein will re-create his Tony Award winning performance as Edna Turnblad with Hudson stepping into the role of Motormouth Maybelle in the network’s follow-up to its 2015 ratings hit The Wiz!
As well as starring as the flamboyant Edna, Fierstein will take on the task of adapting the much-loved theatre show for the small screen. The show will air on the network on 7 December.
Currently starring on Broadway in the revival of The Color Purple, Hudson is the gifted singer actress who took an early shock exit from TV talent show American Idol and turned it into a glittering screen and stage career that began with her Oscar-winning performance in the movie version of Dreamgirls.
Commenting on the show’s first casting news, NBC Entertainment chairman Robert Greenblatt said: “We are beyond thrilled with this talented duo of stars for Hairspray Live! Harvey Fierstein created the role of Edna Turnblad on Broadway in an indelible Tony-winning performance that demanded to be memorialised on film, and we’re happy he wanted to step into her shoes one last, unforgettable time. We’re also so grateful that the incomparable Jennifer Hudson will play Motormouth Maybelle and we know her rendition of ‘I Know Where I’ve Been’ will literally stop the show.”
Announcing the latest casting news, Greenblatt added: “We are very happy to have the inimitable Martin Short to play Edna’s loving husband, Wilbur. We welcome Marty to the network in May in his new variety show (Maya and Marty in Manhattan) with Maya Rudolph and we think he will be the perfect long-term companion to Harvey’s Edna. And hands down the best dancer on television and one of the best in the entertainment business, Derek Hough, will be perfect in the role of Corny Collins, the cocky song and dance man who hosts the TV show every teenager in Baltimore wants to be on.”
The search for the young actress to play show’s pivotal and potentially career launching role of Tracy Turnblad began with an open casting call in New York which attracted thousands of hopefuls. The open casting call has now been extended to allow video auditions for the role.
Now a fixture of the pre-Christmas schedules, NBC’s live broadcasts of major Broadway shows began in 2013 with a production of The Sound of Music Live! which featured another American Idol alumni, multi-award winning country star Carrie Underwood. The shows (Peter Pan Live! with Christopher Walken, and The Wiz Live! with Queen Latifah) are usually heavily promoted and have proved to be ratings winners.
Announcing this year’s production Greenblatt said: “In keeping with our desire to bring the best of Broadway to our live musicals, we’ve assembled the Broadway dream team of Tony Award winners for Hairspray Live! We’re thrilled to have director Kenny Leon, who knocked The Wiz Live! way out of the park and Jerry Mitchell, the original choreographer of Hairspray, who is the director of two smash hit musicals running on Broadway right now.
“Along with our incredible producing team of Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, and arguably the best songwriting team in musicals, Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, Hairspray Live! is in the best possible hands.”
The creative team also includes Alex Rudzinski (director of rival network Fox’s hit Grease Live! last year) who will serve as live director alongside director Leon. Further casting and production details are to be announced.
Angela Thomas
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