HAIRSPRAY is next NBC Musical...

[Scarywarhol]

RW3 said: "Kad said: "What do you mean "clearly didn't work out"? The film was a great success and even snagged a SAG nomination for its ensemble. "

 

By "clearly didn't work out" I meant Nikki Blonsky. She was an unknown and was relevant when she was announced and shortly after the film was released. But, her career afterward didn't continue. Thus, choosing an unknown doesn't always work out.

 

"

 

Sure as hell worked out for the project, which is what is being discussed.

 

[DAME]

Cool.  I am happy for this.  They need to right the wrong of that awful movie they did with the gummy bear as Edna.

[Kad]

I'd love for Jackie Hoffman to reprise her Broadway track in this. Wishful thinkingm, perhaps.

[Jordan Catalano]

Meryl Streep as Tracy, please.

[Sunny11]

There are different expectations placed on casts in international released studio blockbusters  vs made for TV movies though. I don't think that if an unknown was made a star in this production that the pressure placed on her will be the same that was on Nikki Blonsky and the possibility of  getting too big too soon and then crashing and burning afterwards  will be the same. 

[AKarp2013]

Darlene Love for Motormouth!!!

[Jshan05]

While the film is one of the better stage-to-screen adaptations, I am excited for this Live performance but PLEASE, GOD...DO NOT CAST JOHN TRAVOLTA TO REPRISE HIS ROLE!

[mc1227]

Harvey is a must!  I think this show is a great choice for live TV.  Zach  Efron as Linc, Rebel Wilson as Tracy could also work out?

[Broadway Bob*]

I'm sending up some prayers now... Let Jack O'Brien and Jerry Mitchell recreate their genius Broadway staging (adapted for camera of course) and let Harvey Fierstein (the ONLY acceptable choice in my opinion) be Edna!!!!!!!!!!!

[JM226]

Zac Efron will be unavailable due to filming on another movie from August/September to Oct/Nov. Do not bother suggesting him 

[Sunny11]

I don't think that Efron is age appropriate now, he bulked up considerably for a movie and, while he looked amazing, didn't look high school age at all. 

[AKarp2013]

I'm taking a guess that Nick Jonas is potential candidate for the role of Link. He's had a relationship with Zadan/Meron with Smash as well as with Shaiman/Wittman when he did Hairspray for the Hollywood Bowl.

[ucjrdude902]

Darlene Love however, is a great recommendation. She was Motormouth when I saw the show! 

[bdn223]

I love Rebel, but I think she would make a horrible Tracy. Tracy is the straight man amongst a cast of zany characters, and I don't she can play that, as she is too hilarious.

[Fosse76]

Zac Efron and Rebel Wilson are too old. It's absurd to even mention them. Billy Crystal, also too old. Maybe we can get some age-appropriate casting.

As successful as the Wiz was, NBC still cannot get these musicals right. The overall "look" and "feel" of these presentations make them look like cheap soap operas. There is a lot of deadly background silence during the book scenes, and even deadlier silence at the end of the musical numbers. And the transitions into the commercial breaks kill the momentum of these musicals and also take away some of the theatricality of them. I've said it before and I will say it again: these need an audience. And they should really get one or two sponsors who would be willing to cover the whole thing so that the commercial breaks can be minimized. The WIz had about 45 minutes worth of commercials.

[Kad]

They need a great team of comedic actors for this to nail the book scenes, for sure.

[RaiseYouUp]

This is wonderful news! I'm so glad that NBC has chosen a great show to produce this time!

[amoni]

Well, Nikki does live a few miles from the sound stage! Latifah had a ball in "The Wiz", so ya never know.

[nasty_khakis]

How about Miss Jennifer Lewis??!

[Wildcard]

Instead of "learning" from the Wiz, I wish they had learned from ITV's Sound of Music instead. 

I hope this doesn't mean all their sets will be LCDs

[Call_me_jorge]

This sounds like a bad move, but a safe one too.

[bdn223]

@Fosse76

Your right about the commercials, but I wonder how its going to work out with Hairspray since most several scene changes have musical interloods with the The Dynamites. In all honesty the quick scenes with The Dynamites where one of my favorite parts about the original production. 

If I had to guess they will try to do what they did with Sound of Music and Peter Pan, since The Wiz got "great" ratings they can charge a premium. 

[Kad]

"This sounds like a bad move, but a safe one too."

It cannot be both.

[Londonskyguy]

LuPone as Velma Von Tussle please.

[GreasedLightning]

Nikki Blonsky's non-career says more about the industry than it does about her talent and ability to be a star. 

 

"

I disagree. I heard that she became difficult to work with. 

[gstrus2]

Ryann Redmond for Tracy!