NBC airing Hairspray Live the musical Wednesday night

NBC piped another hit Broadway musical onto small screens across America tonight with Hairspray Live!

With the country in a “divisive place”, he said, viewers are eager for entertainment “that can be really healing”.

Two of Hairspray Live’s first three big performances – “Good Morning, Baltimore!” and “Mama, I’m a Big Girl Now” – had noticeable technical flaws.

It also stars Ephraim Sykes as Seaweed Stubbs and newcomer Maddie Baillio as main character Tracy Turnblad, who beat out hundreds of actresses and won the part through an open casting call.

Jerry Mitchell’s high-energy choreography was on optimum display in this number that took to the streets of Baltimore with a West Side Story vibe. With a message about accepting ourselves and each other while celebrating and embracing our diversity, this Hairspray felt more relevant – and maybe even important – than ever. And “Hairspray Live!” was brimming with talent – from stage veterans such as Chenoweth and Harvey Fierstein, who reprised his Tony-winning role as Tracy’s mother, Edna Turnblad (opposite Martin Short as Wilbur Turnblad) to pop stars Ariana Grande, who played Tracy’s awkward BFF, Penny Pingleton, and Jennifer Hudson, who sang circles around everyone else as local celebrity Motormouth Maybelle. That one starred John Travolta as Edna. She falls for the show’s dreamy lead and fights against the producers to try to integrate the show.

The social-media buzz for “Hairspray Live!” presents a mixed bag.

That will include mundane facades transformed into a colorful Baltimore downtown, one that happens to be in sight of the clock tower featured in “Back to the Future”.

For John Waters, “Hairspray” is the story he keeps returning to. Leon once again chose to cast someone unknown, as he did with Shanice Williams in “The Wiz”.

Fierstein is agitated: “This whole idea of this “attack on political correctness” really (ticks) me off”, he says. Clayton’s voice and dance moves were just fine, but the lack of enthusiasm with which he played Link only served to turn us off to the would-be pined after crooner.

“We’re excited. It’s wonderful to see her hanging out with all these stars”.

“I came out to the hall jokin’ around and this sweet lil’ soul was feeling emotional about this fantastic journey ending”, the Dancing With the Stars pro captioned the video.

“I think what it does for our kids is makes them realize it’s possible”, Fetty said.

“It’s tomorrow night and I’m already crying”, the “Dangerous Woman” singer is heard telling Hough in an Instagram video. “Here, you need to very much give up all control” except over one’s own performance, Fierstein said. That’s half the problem, understanding that.

He credits the lasting relevance of “Hairspray” to its unlikely heroine. Though Tracy’s efforts to get “The Corny Collins Show” to allow black dancers on outside of its monthly “Negro Night” are ultimately successful and bring her community together, this would have been nearly unthinkable in the real world of 1962. “I like these people, but why should it be my problem?” he whines pathetically, while a crowded room full of the people racism actually affects look on and fear that marching means real physical peril for them. When you say no, nothing changes.