Jennifer Hudson Stuns With Powerful ‘I Know Where I’ve Been’ Performance

And Broadway superstar Kristin Chenoweth, who plays villainous Velma Von Tussle, is concerned about cracking her head open during a fall on live TV. Hairspray Live! has become more than just a holiday musical event, but a beacon of hope for those left reeling in the aftermath of the election with the significant rise in hate crimes and hate speech throughout the country.

Director Kenn yLeon on set last month in California.

Also leading the production is Alex Rudzinski, who won an Emmy in 2016 for his work on Grease Live! for Fox.

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

What time does Hairspray Live! start?

Darren Criss (“Glee”) is a fabulous singer, but what was he doing hosting crowd interviews and “behind the scenes” time wasters including split screens? The streaming service is known for hosting NBC shows and specials the day after they air, and I’m happy to reveal that it’s looking like this production will be no exception.

Hough is a triple threat. That is when movie audiences first met Tracy Turnblad, the plus-size Baltimore teen whose love of music winds up making her an advocate for all kinds of diversity. The song “Ladies Choice”, created for the 2007 film adaptation for the character of Link (played here by Garrett Clayton), was instead given to Hough – and he delivered. However, through her efforts, she is able to not only change the show’s emphasis on body type, but also break up its stubborn segregation. Perfectionism is clearly in her nature. (Things got a little smelly when Grande also got to shill her perfume.) Pretty much every musical on Broadway wisely bought commercials, too.

Fierstein is a national treasure. Maddie Baillo is the most fortunate woman who was selected out of almost 1,000 open call auditions to become the iconic Tracy Turnblad. Hudson as Motormouth Maybelle – spectacular in purple dress and towering blond bouffant – was fine, but not as good as Queen Latifah in the second movie.

As Motormouth Maybelle, J.Hud’s moving rendition of “I Know Where I’ve Been” had us – and the internet – tearing up. Ariana Grande, as repressed nerd Penny Pingleton, was particularly flat – landing zero jokes in a role that’s 100 percent jokes. “Because it’s unreal. Just unreal”. “But otherwise we’re sticking close to the Broadway version”.