Broadway Rewind: NBC Starts the Hunt for HAIRSRAY LIVE's Tracy Turnblad in 2016!

As BroadwayWorld previously reported, Hairspray Live! will be broadcast online as part of The Shows Must Go On! The show will launch tomorrow, May 29 at 2:00pm EST and be available for 48 hours. Click here to tune in!

The all-star cast of Hairspray Live! features Harvey Fierstein as Edna Turnblad, Jennifer Hudson as Motormouth Maybelle, Martin Short as Wilbur Turnblad, Derek Hough as Corny Collins, Ariana Grande as Penny Pingleton, Andrea Martin as Prudy Singleton and Kristin Chenoweth as Velma Von Tussle. Rosie O'Donnell and Sean Hayes also make special appearances in the broadcast.

Today, we are rewinding back to 2016, when NBC first began the hunt for their leading lady, Tracy Turnblad- a part that would ultimately go to newcomer Maddie Baillio. One spring afternoon, hundreds of girls turned up for an open call to show Telsey + Company what they could do. Watch as some of the ladies talk about why they showed up and hear from casting director Bernie Telsey himself!