Baltimore

Run And Tell That: ‘Hairspray Live!' Makes a Splash on Social Media

The 2002 musical got a reboot for the holiday season, combining feel good, upbeat tunes with meaningful, deep commentary about prejudice and defying expectations

Welcome to the '60s! Last night, NBC’s “Hairspray Live!” took audiences on a wild ride through Baltimore, Maryland, as Tracy Turnblad and her gang navigated young love, race relations, and celebrity in one of the most turbulent decades in American history.

The 2002 musical received a reboot for the holiday season, combining feel good, upbeat tunes with meaningful, deep commentary about prejudice and defying expectations. Bolstered by a cast of prominent vocal artists like Kristin Chenoweth, Jennifer Hudson, and Ariana Grande, and with former “Glee” star Darren Criss as host, the production was touted as NBC musical’s “best, most entertaining work yet” by USA Today.

The show also made splashes on social media, where cast members tweeted from the set. Criss shared photos with original Tracy Turnblads Ricki Lake and Marissa J. Winokur, who made cameos during the shoot. Criss also posed with his former Warblers, Re’Sean Pates and Mason Trueblood, who were in the ensemble.

The day before the premiere, Grande posted a photo with choreographer Jerry Mitchell beside the caption, “What an honor and a dream come true this has been. i wish we could do this forever.”

Stars at home weighed in on the production via Twitter. Laverne Cox, who was recently featured in “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” live on Fox, wrote a message praising Hudson’s performance: “@IAMJHUD and that voice are truly a national treasure. That was a show stopper.”

After some wine, Broadway superfan Anna Kendrick live-tweeted her experience. When one fan clapped back at a tweet that made little to no sense, Kendrick blamed it on the alcohol. “It made sense when I typed it. Hush!” she replied.

Meanwhile, music icon Jennifer Lopez teased her future appearance on the NBC musical stage. Lopez has been cast as Rosie in NBC’s 2017 holiday show. “I am SO excited to be a part of NBC's next live musical #ByeByeBirdieLive!” the actress tweeted. 

“Loving #hairspraylive,” she added.

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