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NBC Plans Live ‘Hairspray’ Musical Winter Event After Sound of Music Success

NBC is heading to the sixties. In the tradition started with 2013 The Sound of Music, NBC’s new live winter musical will be NBC Entertainment chairman Bob Greenblatt announced the musical event during the Television Critics Association press tour in Pasadena, Calif. Just as with the 2007, NBC is looking to cast an unknown to play the lead role of Tracy Turnblad.

First it was a movie by Jonathan Waters in 1988. Then came the Tony Award Winning Broadway stage musical adaptation in 2003, which was turned into a major motion picture in 2007. Now, Hairspray is coming to the small screen, and in a very big way.

The 2003 version of Hairspray won eight Tony Awards including Best Musical. The show was nominated for five addition Tonys as well as seven Drama Desk Awards and Two Theater World Awards. The London version also won four Olivier Awards.

The 2007 film version of the show won a two Critics Choice Awards and was nominated for three Golden Globes.

Greenblatt opened up about Hairspray and the new tradition started with the Sound of Music Live, telling reporters (via Variety):

“We’ve learned a lot -- the first one we were flying by the seat of our pants and not sure if we could pull it off technically. It gets easier as you keep doing them. We’ve spawned a new genre.”

Hairspray will be produced by Craig Zadan and Neil Meron who also produced the 2007 film version of the musical.

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