| Hairspray Live! | |
|---|---|
 Promotional poster | |
| Genre | Musical Romantic comedy Live television |
| Based on | |
| Written by | Harvey Fierstein |
| Directed by |
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| Presented by | Darren Criss |
| Starring | |
| Composers | |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | |
| Producers |
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| Production locations | Universal Studios Lot,Universal City, California |
| Camera setup | Multi-camera |
| Running time | 113 minutes (DVD)[1] |
| Production companies |
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| Original release | |
| Network | NBC |
| Release | December 7, 2016 (2016-12-07) |
| Related | |
Hairspray Live! is an Americantelevision special that airedlive on the American television networkNBC on December 7, 2016. Produced byCraig Zadan andNeil Meron, and hosted byDarren Criss, it is a performance of a new adaptation of the 2002Broadway musicalHairspray, which is based on the1988 film of the same name. The special was produced byNew Line Cinema,Warner Bros. Television, Storyline Entertainment,Sony Pictures Television andUniversal Television.
Hairspray Live! takes place in 1962Baltimore. Teenager Tracy Turnblad's dream is to dance onThe Corny Collins Show, a local TV program. When, against all odds, Tracy wins a role on the show, she becomes a celebrity overnight and meets a colorful array of characters, including Link, the resident dreamboat; Amber, the ambitious mean girl; Seaweed, an African-American boy she meets in detention; and his mother, Motormouth Maybelle, owner of a local record store. Tracy's mother is the indomitable Edna Turnblad, and she eventually encourages Tracy on her campaign to integrate the all-WhiteCorny Collins Show.[2]
Main[3]
Minor roles
Council members[3]
The Dynamites[3]
Motormouth Kids[3]
Various ensemble[3]
Cameos
Musicians
Dancers
The musical numbers from the track list of the soundtrack.[8][9]
All tracks are written byMarc Shaiman andScott Wittman.
| No. | Title | Performer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Good Morning Baltimore" | Maddie Baillio and Ensemble | 3:44 |
| 2. | "The Nicest Kids in Town" | Derek Hough and Council Members | 2:36 |
| 3. | "Mama, I'm a Big Girl Now" | Harvey Fierstein, Baillio,Andrea Martin,Ariana Grande,Kristin Chenoweth,Dove Cameron, and Ensemble | 3:18 |
| 4. | "I Can Hear the Bells" | Baillio and Ensemble | 4:09 |
| 5. | "(The Legend of) Miss Baltimore Crabs" | Chenoweth and Council Members | 3:27 |
| 6. | "Ladies' Choice" | Hough[10] | 2:12 |
| 7. | "It Takes Two" | Garrett Clayton and Baillio | 3:00 |
| 8. | "Velma's Revenge" | Chenoweth | 1:17 |
| 9. | "Welcome to the 60's" | Baillio, Feirstein, The Dynamites,Sean Hayes, and Ensemble | 4:11 |
| 10. | "Run and Tell That!" | Ephraim Sykes,Shahadi Wright Joseph, and Ensemble | 3:32 |
| 11. | "Big, Blonde and Beautiful" | Jennifer Hudson and Ensemble | 4:35 |
| 12. | "(You're) Timeless to Me" | Fierstein andMartin Short | 4:20 |
| 13. | "Good Morning Baltimore (Reprise)" | Baillio | 1:53 |
| 14. | "Without Love" | Baillio, Clayton, Grande, Sykes, and Ensemble | 4:28 |
| 15. | "I Know Where I've Been" | Hudson | 4:03 |
| 16. | "(It's) Hairspray" | Hough and Council Members | 2:16 |
| 17. | "Cooties" | Cameron and Council Members | 1:10 |
| 18. | "You Can't Stop the Beat" | Baillio, Clayton, Grande, Sykes, Fierstein, Short, Hudson, Chenoweth, Cameron, and Company | 5:13 |
| 19. | "Come So Far (Got So Far to Go)" | Grande, Hudson, and Company | 4:12 |
| Total length: | 1:03:36 | ||
Hairspray Live! served as NBC's fourth entry in its series of made-for-TV musical telecasts, behindThe Wiz Live!,Peter Pan Live!, andThe Sound of Music Live!. As with its predecessors, it was executive produced byCraig Zadan andNeil Meron. The project was revealed by NBC's entertainment headBob Greenblatt during aTelevision Critics Association press tour in January 2016. In response to early reports that NBC was considering a live version ofThe Music Man,West Side Story, orRodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella, Greenblatt stated that "people have been saying to me sinceThe Wiz, 'Do this show, do that show.' I've heard obscure titles and famous titles. Not everything's going to be a big name to the whole audience. I don't think there's an infinite number of these that can be done. But we're still doing it." He explained that the production would not try to emulate the2007 film (also produced by Zadan and Meron),[11] but that he would have been thrilled ifJohn Travolta reprised his role in it.[12]
Kenny Leon returned in his role as director fromThe Wiz, and was joined by Alex Rudzinski—who co-directedGrease: Live forFox.[13][14] The musical was adapted for television byHarvey Fierstein from the original book byMark O'Donnell andThomas Meehan.Jerry Mitchell, the choreographer of the Broadway version ofHairspray, was also involved with the adaptation.[15] In contrast to NBC's previous musicals,Hairspray Live! was produced from theUniversal Studios backlot; Greenblatt explained that a "fair amount" of the show would be staged in outdoor settings, and thus "have a real exuberance in the open air." Additionally, live audiences were integrated into relevant scenes as extras on-stage, such as bystanders in Baltimore, and as the studio audience ofThe Corny Collins Show.[14] Two numbers written for the 2007 film, "Ladies' Choice" and "Come So Far (Got So Far to Go)", were incorporated into the production. "The Big Dollhouse", from the Broadway show, was cut, while "The New Girl In Town", written for the stage show but cut and only used in the film, was not added.[8] (An instrumental version of the song is, however, heard very briefly as a bit of background music.)
In addition to adapting the book, Fierstein reprised the role of Edna Turnblad from the Broadway musical; Greenblatt felt that his performance of Edna was "iconic", and that his involvement withHairspray Live! made it "come full circle".[14] NBC cast the lead role of Tracy Turnblad through an open call in New York City, hoping to repeat the "phenomenal discovery" ofShanice Williams forThe Wiz Live!. The role went to college sophomoreMaddie Baillio, as her first professional role.[16] In November 2016, it was announced thatRicki Lake andMarissa Jaret Winokur (who portrayed Tracy Turnblad in the1988 film and the Broadway version respectively) would make cameo appearances;[10] Winokur and Lake appeared as employees of Mr. Pinky's boutique.[7]Darren Criss served as an on-air host, hosting a half-hourCountdown to Hairspray Live! show on NBC withKristin Chenoweth andSean Hayes, as well as behind-the-scenes reports throughout the live broadcast.[17][18]
Oreo,Reddi-wip, andToyota broadcast live, themed commercials duringHairspray Live!; Oreo's ad featured the character of Corny Collins, Reddi-wip's ad featured amilkman character (Evan Strand) backstage and performing a dance number, while Toyota's ad featured a vintageToyota Corolla and a current model in celebration of the vehicle's 50th anniversary.[19][20]
OnRotten Tomatoes, the special holds a 76% rating based on 25 reviews, with anaverage of 8.2/10. The site's consensus states: "Hairspray Live! shimmers with outstanding performances, an engaging story, and songs that let its stars shine."[21] It has a score of 66 from 14 critics onMetacritic, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[22]
Neil Genzlinger ofThe New York Times wrote: "NBC lassoed some talented performers with fine singing voices but sacrificed cohesion by cramming the evening with too much interstitial fluff.... Only Jennifer Hudson, who played Motormouth Maybelle, found the real strength of this Tony-winning musical, delivering a knockout rendition of 'I Know Where I've Been'..." He noted that Baillio "did pretty well, though no novice is going to compete with voices like those of Ms. Hudson and Kristin Chenoweth..."[23]
Sonia Saraiya ofVariety wrote that it "took a few musical numbers to settle into a rhythm. But once it did (the energy seemed to kick in with "Welcome to the '60s") the musical easily became the best NBC has attempted. It's hard to imagine better casting for the production. Jennifer Hudson stole the show... Ariana Grande, certifiable pop star, came away as the show's MVP, acting as both reliably overlook-able sidekick and, once the situation required it, showstopping diva. Harvey Fierstein was predictably great... Martin Short... found the right profile for himself as Wilbur."[24]
Rebecca Bunch ofThe TV Ratings Guide called the production "a great experience through and through." She called he cast "top notch", and praised Grande and Hudson in particular. She also named "You Can't Stop the Beat" the best musical moment of the night and stated that "they really knocked it out of the park", stating that "NBC really put together something amazing here."[25]
Caroline Siede ofThe A.V. Club wrote that "As a piece of social commentary, tonight's production ofHairspray Live! was just about flawless." She stated that Dove Cameron and Ephraim Sykes were "consistently fun to watch", Chenoweth and Hudson "were the biggest scene-stealers.", and Fierstein, Short, and Martin "were all wonderful as well." She rated the telecast a B+.[26]
In his 2019 essay collectionMr. Know-It-All,John Waters called the special "OK—but the weakest" ofHairspray's various iterations, expressing reservations about some of the casting decisions, as well as lamenting that neither he nor any surviving cast members ofThe Buddy Deane Show, the real-life basis ofThe Corny Collins Show, were consulted for the production.[27]
Hairspray Live! was seen by 9.05 million viewers, with a ratings share of 2.3 in the 18–49 demographic, and a 5.9 overnight household rating. It was the most-viewed program of the night, with numbers on par with those ofPeter Pan.[28][29] An encore presentation, which aired on December 27, was seen by 2.5 million viewers.[30]
| Award | Category | Nominated artist/work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Art Directors Guild Awards | Awards or Event Special | Derek McLane | Nominated | [31] |
| Directors Guild of America Awards | Outstanding Directing – Miniseries or TV Film | Kenny Leon and Alex Rudzinski | Nominated | [32] |
| Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylist Guild Awards | Television Mini-Series or Movie Made for Television - Best Period/Character Make-Up | Melanie Hughes and Judy Yonemoto | Nominated | [33] |
| MTV Movie & TV Awards | Best Musical Moment | Jennifer Hudson for "You Can't Stop the Beat" | Nominated | [34] |
| Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Variety Special | Craig Zadan,Neil Meron, Alex Rudzinski, Javier Winnik,Kenny Leon, Robert Norris Catto | Nominated | [35] |
| Outstanding Costumes for a Variety, Nonfiction, or Reality Programming | Mary Vogt, Carolyn Dessert-Lauterio | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Hairstyling for a Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Program | Miia Kovero, Terry Baliel, Roxane Griffin, Lawrence Davis, Jill Crosby, Joy Zapata | Won | ||
| Outstanding Lighting Design/ Lighting Direction for a Variety Special | Allen Branton, Felix Peralta, Kevin Lawson, Darren Langer, Kirk J. Miller | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Makeup for a Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Program | Melanie Hughes-Weaver, Judy Yonemoto, Jill Cady, Julie Socash, Shutchai Tym Buacharern, Angela Moos | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Production Design for a Variety Special | Derek McLane, Joe Celli, Jason Howard | Won | ||
| Outstanding Technical Direction and Camerawork for a Special | Charles Ciup, Billy Steinberg, Chris Hill, Bert Atkinson, Randy Gomez, Nathanial Havholm, Ron Lehman, Bettina Levesque, Dave Levisohn, Tore Livia, Mike Malone, Adam Margolis, Rob Palmer, Brian Reason, Damien Tuffereau, Andrew Waruszewski | Won |
