Maddie Baillio News

On this morning's TODAY it was announced that newcomer Maddie Baillio has been cast as teenager Tracy Turnblad in NBC's HAIRSPRAY LIVE. Harvey Fierstein, who will reprise his Tony Award-winning role as Edna Turnblad, introduced his fictional daughter and shared that he is currently working on the script which he says may be a little different than the film and stage version of the show. BroadwayWorld met with Baillio this morning at 30 Rock, where the star-to-be opened up about how she landed the role, her reaction upon receiving the news and more!

Harvey Fierstein, set to reprise his Tony-winning role as Edna Turnblad on screen in NBC's HAIRSPRAY LIVE! welcomed newcomer Maddie Baillio to the cast this morning on NBC's 'TODAY.'

As BroadwayWorld previously reported, newcomer Maddie Baillio has been cast as teenager Tracy Turnblad in NBC's 'Hairspray Live!,' which will air Wednesday, Dec. 7 at 8 p.m. ET/PT, executive produced by Craig Zadan and Neil Meron.

On this morning's TODAY, HAIRSPRAY LIVE's Harvey Fierstein announced that his fictional teenage daughter Tracey will be played by Maddie Baillio!

Maddie Baillio, the 2014 winner of the Great American Songbook Academy will perform the National Anthem at the Dec. 14 Colts game at Lucas Oil Stadium. The 18-year-old from League City, Texas was the winner in the 2014 competition, held at the Palladium concert hall in July. In addition to the Colts game performance, Baillio will debut at New York City's Birdland jazz club on December 16, performing alongside Michael Feinstein, founder of the Great American Songbook Foundation and artistic director at the Center for the Performing Arts. Baillio is the Great American Songbook Youth Ambassador, a one year title.

Maddie Baillio is the 2014 winner of the Great American Songbook Vocal Academy and Competition. The 18-year-old is from League City, TX. During the finals concert tonight, July 25, she sang two American standards: "Misty," and "Murder, He Says."

High school vocalists from around the United States will compete tonight at the Center for the Performing Arts for the 2014 Great American Songbook Vocal Academy & Competition.

Theatre Under the Stars' (TUTS) Humphreys School of Musical Theatre (HSMT) introduced Houston, Texas to the 2007 stage musical adaptation of XANADU this weekend. The musical film Xanadu opened to mixed-to-negative reviews and audience responses in 1980, but over the interceding years has gained a cult following. However, from its release, the film's soundtrack has been a commercial success. It contains five Top 20 singles and was certified Double Platinum in the US. The musical adaption retains Electric Light Orchestra's original pop songs written for the film, featuring music and lyrics by Jeff Lynne and John Farrar. Douglas Carter Beane stepped in to write the book for the musical, and added a pair of "evil" muses as a plot twist. For the musical, the creative team pieced together a tacky, self-indulgent, and self-referential one act that despite a talented cast is uninteresting and bland.

Grab your skates and sweatbands as Theatre Under The Stars' (TUTS) Humphreys School of Musical Theatre (HSMT) takes you back to the 1980s for the Houston premiere of the hilarious roller skating musical Xanadu! Playing at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts tonight and tomorrow, September 13 - 14, 2013, Xanadu will feature an all-teen cast made entirely of local high school students who train at the professional and award-winning Humphreys School.

Grab your skates and sweatbands as Theatre Under The Stars' (TUTS) Humphreys School of Musical Theatre (HSMT) takes you back to the 1980s for the Houston premiere of the hilarious roller skating musical Xanadu! Playing at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts September 13 - 14, 2013, Xanadu will feature an all-teen cast made entirely of local high school students who train at the professional and award-winning Humphreys School.