So far I'm liking what I see. Jennifer Hudson seems a but young tbh, but I'm very certain she'll rock her singing. Now who do we want for Penny and Amber?
P.S.
Been periodically checking the board out for a while, about Damn time some other fans came out of the woodwork lol
When you're 17 a cow can seem dangerous and forbidden...am I alone here?
I'm not thrilled about Jennifer Hudson. Don't get me wrong, I love her, and yes she can sing the crap out of those songs. BUT... she's thin now. Motormouth should be big! That's part of the story.
shareI think she could possibly be too young tbh, but I'm excited to hear her rendition of "I Know Where I've Been"....she has a ton of emotion too draw from for sure!
shareThanks to jeffreykare for the latest news on the casting of Seaweed and Little Inez. Ephraim Skyes (from the Broadway production of Hamilton) will be playing Seaweed. Shahadi Wright Joseph (from the Broadway production of School of Rock) will be Little Inez.
I have not personally seen their work, but from the photos they look great. I think their stage experience will definitely add to the production.
We will see if any more news will appear on some of the smaller roles.
The casting of other roles has been announced.
Comedian/Actor Billy Eichner will be local TV newscaster Rob Barker who shows up in the second act to report on Tracy's encounter with law enforcement and her effort to integrate the Corny Collins Show. Eichner is best known for his Billy on the Street videos.
The Dynamites: Shayna Steele, Kamilah Marshall and Judine Somerville.
The rest of the cast:
Josh Alexander, William Bell, Helene Britany, Riley Costello, Kelli Ann Erdmann, Zack Everhart, Sam Faulkner, Annie Gratton, Thomasina Gross, Marissa Heart, Joanna Jones, Jacque Lewarne, Tommy Martinez, Allie Meixner, Eliotte Nicole, Tiana Okoye, Amos Oliver III, Tyler Parks, Re'sean Pates, Andrew Pirozzi, Katherine Roarty, Rhon Saunders, Ricky Schroeder, Heather Tepe, Joy Marie Thomas, Mason Trueblood, Karl Skyler Urban, Keenan Washington and Jason Williams.
http://www.broadway.com/buzz/186076/billy-eichner-shayna-steele-more-join-cast-of-nbcs-hairspray-live-full-company-set/
Paul Vogt has also been announced to play Harriman F. Spritzer, the President of Ultra Clutch! He is a very prolific member of the Hairspray community, having played Edna in more professional productions than any other actor. He is a wonderful addition to the Hairspray Live! cast.
Without obsession, life is nothing. -John Waters
Thanks! The Broadway.com article I got my info from for some reason missed that one.
I think we now pretty much have the whole cast unless they decide to surprise us with a few more additions. I hope NBC gives us some sneak peeks before December. :)
Yes, for some reason, most of the articles neglected to include the addition of Mr. Vogt to the cast. I believe Playbill.com released the only article (or one of the only articles) to announce him as Spritzer. It was also confirmed via his official website and social media platforms.
I hope NBC gives us some sneak peeks before December. :)
Generally speaking, I've been pleased. In terms of casting, this is shaping up to be much better than the movie. I'm so happy they were able to get Harvey back to play Edna! Travolta was an absolute disaster! There are, however, two glaring exceptions: Ariana Grande as Penny and Jennifer Hudson as Maybelle. For Grande, I'm concerned about the aesthetic as she's meant to be a stark contrast to Seaweed, but I'm more concerned about her acting abilities. Playing the sheltered goodie two-shoes friend is a trickier part than people might think. I'm not sure she's up for it, but I suppose time will tell. My greater concern is Jennifer Hudson. Maybelle is a big woman. Full stop. Having a thin woman sing one of the seminal anthems of fat acceptance "Big, Blonde, and Beautiful" would be an absolute travesty! I'm crossing fingers and toes that she pulls out at the last minute. (if backstage gossip is to be believed, she was an absolute terror to work with on the color purple so maybe she'll get fired) I'm sure Mary Bond Davis (the original Maybelle) would be more than willing to fill in. Queen Latifah would also be a welcome addition to the cast.
shareNot especially fond of Theatre Productions and the best thing about this movie is the clothes,color and Tracy,Maddie does her well,and she is so likeable.Hated Harvey Fierstein as the mother,he is just too big and ugly.Martin Short was really boring,with his bad acting,and Kristin overdoes it in a very over the top, stagey way...
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