User Reviews

I think this was hard to do considering the other amazing movie version with Christopher Walken and John Travolta. On the other hand, Harvey Firestein is so cute as the mom, he kind of steals the show. I have no idea how he has such cleavage, but it is quite impressive. And Martin Short is adorable but just not Walken, you know. Jennifer Hudson is A-Freaking-mazing, of course. And Ariana Grande, well I had never heard her sing before today(because I'm apparently not that cool) but she did a great job.Costumes were pretty nice, and Rosie O'Donnell is actually bearable. I thought it was worth the watch. Yes there were some technical issues, however its live and therefore forgivable. Hardcore fans probably will notice the technical precision in which the dancers do their thing, the change in costumes on many of the originals etc. But the new costumes are really well done and, while different, are just as well done as the original. I had very few dislikes. Harvey was a little stiff, but he is not a young man. Ariana at the end was wearing heels that were way too high for the period, and it made her look a little kinky. Still love the shout out to Essex Community College. I graduated from Baltimore City Community College myself. Yeah! MobTown!!

With audio drop outs, shaky camera work, poor direction and a lead actress constantly out of breath and whose dancing was fair at best, this was difficult to watch. The frequency and length of commercial breaks was annoying. The stand out was Derek Hough. We all know he is a great dancer but the guy can sing too! During the bows at the end of the show, the director cut away just as Kristen Chenowith was about to come into camera view for her bow. Yikes! As a huge draw for the show, this goof was an insult to her and an example of the poor directing. NBC can't seem to pull off these live shows without some glaring mistakes.

7/10 is a pretty generous rating for Hairspray Live. There were definitely some mistakes, however it was mostly enjoyable.

Good casting choices: Maddie Baillio, Harvey Fierstein, Jennifer Hudson, Kristin Chenoweth, Ephraim Sykes, Derek Hough, Andrea Martin, Martin Short, and Shahadi Wright Joseph

While Baillio's vocals are outstanding, her dancing and acting are mediocre. Fierstein is unbeatable. Hudson overdoes "I Know Where I've Been" a tad (the rewrites in the song are unnecessary) however her vocals are incredible. Chenoweth has some issues with overdoing things too, but she's legendary. Sykes is wonderful as is Joseph. Short and Martin are both hilarious. Hough's vocals keep up with his dancing.

Bad casting choices: Ariana Grande, Dove Cameron, and Garrett Clayton

Grande is simply horrible in the role of Penny. She is an awful actress and her vocals are weak. If she's going to keep singing, she should stick to her pop music and move away from musical theatre. Cameron overdoes Amber. While Amber is supposed to be irritating, Cameron made her unbearable in a bad way. Her voice is much too nasal and it makes one want to mute the TV whenever she speaks. Her vocals aren't very good either. She should stick to Disney. Although Clayton has the Link Larkin look, he wasn't the best choice for this role. I think NBC tried too hard to cast actors a younger audience would be familiar with rather than trying to please the older audience, who are more likely to watch this anyway.

The camera angles and sound were poorly done. It almost seemed like there had been little to no rehearsal for the cameramen.

If you're looking for a musical and you're not too particular, this is perfect for you. If you're an "expert" in theatre and prefer a more professional production, go see this show onstage or find a better way to spend your time.

Hairspray Live deserves a great rating! While it is true there were a handful of technical bugs and when it comes to some casting choices, people who are familiar with the show might have to get used to the new cast, all the hard work and endless practice that went into this is quite an amazing feat!

Being a person of theater, film and broadcast myself, what it takes to pull something off like this in a live setting blows my mind. Life is not perfect, but what makes a live show feel more realistic, more connected on a human level than a couple of bugs or passionately exhausted vocal inflections?!

While some of the past live shows have had their struggles, Hairspray Live is a big leap in the right direction. For what it is, all the technical aspects they achieved, and how it was not pre-recorded, it is worth the watch.

Awful audio, cheesy product placement, constant cutting to "The audience", camera crew seemed drunk. Dov Cameron was pretty awful.

So much talent show so little of it. Kristin Chenowith, who I was really looking forward to, seemed weak in the Baltimore Crabs number. And sadly I don't think it was because of her performance as much as the audio/camera issues. Ariana Grande played her character quietly, as would be expected of Penny, however she was too quiet for a live show.

It felt like they hadn't done a run through together and there were no sound checks.

Best thing to do is skip watching the entire thing and just look for clips of Jennifer Hudson's performance.

NBC enough already. None of your live shows were worth the money you spent on them

The musicalized Hairspray has decent but derivative songs. The best of those songs are at the beginning, but even the lesser ones are enjoyable enough.

The performers are a mixed bag. Some are excellent, like Kristin Chenoweth, and Jennifer Hudson, but the lead is only serviceable as a singer, something thrown into sharp relief early on when she sings alongside the far better Dove Cameron and Ariana Grande.

Still, it's all fun and spritely, and while there seem to be some technical hiccoughs, particularly in regards to lighting, the overall effect is quite good.

Hairspray is not as memorable or original as the movie it came from, but it's got plenty of good moments. If you like musicals, this is worth a look.

NBC and Fox seem to be leading the way with broadcasting live musical events and the results can be hit or miss. For every success like The Wiz, there is a misfire like The Sound of Music (is there any way to remove the horrid miscasting of Carrie Underwood in that debacle from our collective memories?). Shortly prior to the broadcast of Hairspray Live!, Fox completely stumbled with a dunderheaded effort of The Rocky Horror Show. Mercifully, Hairspray barely edges out The Wiz as a prime example of when things come together nicely.

By now most people know the story of the hit stage play and film focusing on chubby 1960s Baltimore-based teen Tracy Turnblad, whose dream of dancing on The Corny Collins Show, winning the heart of hottie Link Larkin, and championing the cause of integration for African-Americans, while taking on white Barbie nemesis Amber von Tussel and her monstrous mama Velma, producer of the very show that Tracy hopes to conquer.

The story is fun, the music by and large is bright and lively, and the production numbers veer between both personal and lavish. NBC does a creditable job of mounting a mammoth and rousing production. Although I am uncertain why they chose to omit the very funny production number The Big Dollhouse.

If there are any stumbles it comes in some quibbles in the casting. Maddie Baillio is an energetic Tracy and holds the center of the show together, but she is probably the least impressive singer/dancer of the Tracys that I have. Baillio's singing seems to take on a breathy air when notes become too strenuous for her - which is a bit too often. She does a lot of vocal straining here. Ditto, her dancing is mediocre at best, so when everyone in the cast keeps harping on what a great dancer she is, they come off a tad delusional.

Stage legend Harvey Fierstein returns to play Tracy's mom Edna, a rotund introvert forced out of the house by Tracy's popularity. I missed Fierstein on stage, but seeing him here I actually prefer John Travolta's more vulnerable take on the role in the film. Fierstein is amusing, but he cannot sing...at all. The majority of the lyrics to the songs are garbled by his trademark gravelly voice (let's be honest, Carol Channing has a gravelly voice, but she knows how to use it for effect and does not garble lyrics!) to the point where one feels like they are straining to make heads or tails of what he is saying. By contrast, Martin Short is a delight as the eternally upbeat Wilbur Turnblad.

Of the supporting cast, Garrett Clayton is a bit too bland and Ken Doll-ish as Link. Derek Hough is surprisingly strong as Corny Collins. Both Kristin Chenoweth and Dove Cameron hit all the right notes, both acting and singing-wise as the villainous Von Tussels. Cameos by performers as Rosie O'Donnell, Sean Hayes, and Ricki Lake actually seem pretty pointless.

The film's biggest misfire in my mind is the miscasting of Jennifer Hudson in the pivotal role of Motormouth Maybelle. Hudson sings well, but she is not much of an actress (fluke Oscar win included). One could best describe her efforts here as pleasant, but nothing disguises that she is all wrong for this part. Motormouth Maybelle is written as (and previously been played as) an older woman with weight issues. Watching the youthful and skinny Hudson sashay into the room, one is puzzled when she sings a song to Edna about how she has accepted her own "extra large largesse," because Hudson does not currently share any of these elements. One could get away with casting Queen Latifah in the part. One could even imagine the thrill of seeing an Aretha Franklin or Patti LaBelle play the role. But Hudson is completely wrong.

Still, for these quibbles, at the end of the day, this production largely succeeds because it is such a blast of good spirits and its message of fighting for a good cause and racial harmony seems more timely than ever in the Era of Trump Supporters.

I still love every second of hairspray live from start to finish. Ariana Grande and dove Cameron are my most favorites of the whole cast. Those two should make couple of more together again!!!. songs I still wish that it had a cameo of john waters (director of the original movie) that wouldve Been perfect!. But I still love the movie exactly as it is. I was so happy for ariana for being part of this, I actually watched the original 1988 and the 2007 versions of hairspray just before this (2016) version premiered.

I give the 9/10.

It's not as strong as 2007's Hairspray. And can Rosie O'Donnell please stop acting. But Hairspray Live! is a vibrant and entertaining adaptation with colourful costumes, fun songs and good performances.

I LOVED 'Mamma, I'm A Big Girl Now'!

Where did they get this cast and who did they drag in for production? Okay, the sets were great, but the sound and cameras were all wrong. As far as the performances, the only one who knew what she was doing was Jennifer Hudson. Her singing, as usual, is phenomenal and suited to a musical like this.

From the casting to the actual acting, if I can even call it that, to the singing which was at best sad to the dancing, I would have asked for my money back had I gone to the theater for this.

Derek Hough did fine as Corny, but it's really a bit part in the production.

If you want to watch real productions, try the 1988 and 2007 film versions, both wonderful in their own ways.

I'm a huge fan of Martin Short, and he always delivers an amazing performance. I Loved the entire show. Thank you !!!

Kristin Chenoweth has such a presence. Derek Hough is so talented. And the costumes were so colorful. I'll watch it again, for sure.

Overall as enjoyable as the Nikki Blonsky movie. Some roles were cast better (aka Harvey Feinstein), but others were either equal to or a little worse than that movie (Link was a huge disappointment). Loved the cameos from MJW and Ricki Lake!

This was very disappointing. I like singing where beautiful sounds come out, not screeching. Way too much screeching.

There were so many places where the music overpowered the singing so that I only saw moving lips and heard no singing at all. There is no way to adjust ears so that one can tune into the music and the other to the voice, so it's just disappointing when someone doesn't do his/her job to make sure things are working together.

I had to actually force myself to watch all the way through to the end. It was way too long and not interesting enough to enjoy to the end. Maybe NBC just can't pull off a live musical show.

I saw the John Travolta movie some years ago, but don't remember a whole lot about it.

However, NBC got it right again this year. I don't recall any weaknesses other than the sound being poor in a few cases, and I wasn't able to hear dialogue.

Apparently having an unknown as the lead is the best idea. it worked last year, and Maddie Baillio did a great job. She can sing and dance and has a nice personality.

Harvey Fierstein makes an ideal drag queen. That voice!

Martin Short is surprisingly good as Tracy's father. He is basically the same character Martin Short always plays, but he just stands out so much more than I expected.

While I am kind of a square, most of this music isn't too bad compared to what passes for music in 2016. And there were even songs for someone with my particular taste.

Jennifer Hudson does a great job. Her style of singing isn't really my taste, but that's not important. She steals the show when she sings. People will like her.

Ariana Grande is so adorable as the shy best friend, but she really shows her singing and dancing talent later, and she looks good in a short skirt.

What a hypocrite Kristin Chenoweth is! All this emphasis on high moral standards but she shows off her chest. Great job, and she even hits those really high notes.

Dove Cameron does a nice job as the spoiled daughter who thinks she will be Miss Hairspray because of all the strings being pulled.

Ephraim Sykes is quite appealing as Seaweed, the teen who is tired of being a second-class citizen and teaches Tracy the moves she needs to make it, and he really stands out.

I'm sure I left someone out, but I can't think of anyone who didn't do a good job.

I was surprised by the amount of time devoted to the quest for integration, but it's an important message here.

NBC needs to keep doing these musicals.

It was obvious that this live TV production of a stage musical that was itself based on a movie wasn't going to live up to the original movie. Even so, it was a good time. A newcomer plays Tracy Turnblad, the teenager whose quest to appear on a dance show becomes a quest for racial integration in 1962 Baltimore. My favorite performances came from Harvey Fierstein as Edna (the role played by Divine in John Waters's movie) and Kristin Chenoweth as Velma (the role played by Debbie Harry in John Waters's movie). Andrea Martin was also to die for as Prudy Pingelton, who freaks out at the sight of African-Americans (especially when her daughter falls in love with an African-American teenager).

I should probably admit that I've never seen the stage production, or the 2007 movie based thereupon. Nevertheless, "Hairspray Live!" was an OK way to spend three hours. Jennifer Hudson's performance as Motormouth Maybelle is a force to be reckoned with (take THAT, American Idol!).

So, it wasn't anything great - the interludes showing the audience were distracting - but still a fun way to spend a brief amount of time.

NBC has produced some good live musicals and "Hairspray Live!" shows that they have learned from their past productions. Endless hours of work are evident.

The logistics alone are mind boggling with a cast of this size and so many scenes. A flotilla of cameras (they say they used 58) captures the action from so many angles.

Because of so many common plot elements, the show welcomes comparisons with "Grease". The TV dance show. The teenage leads. The gym dance. But I found myself enjoying this show and wondering at its quality. I would have sworn Maddie Baillio's (Tracy Turnblad) voice was prerecorded, it sounded so clear. I thought the show deserved an Emmy for sound.

But as it progressed, I noticed technical errors. And eventually, it drew on too long. I realize it is difficult to cut scenes or musical numbers that are worthy of being seen/heard, but the show would improve by losing at least a half hour. The plot began to slow and to wander. And it became too preachy.

Otherwise, the show is quite good. Dove Cameron (Amber) has a great voice. Ariana Grande (Penny) appears to have fun throughout. Kristen Chenoweth (Velma) is her usual, dynamic self. Harvey Fierstein is, of course, iconic in his portrayal of Edna. Derek Hough, who has plenty of live experience, is solid as Corny--a role that holds some scenes together. Maddie Baillio, in her first credited professional role, may not have the magnetism of some others who have played the central role, but her energy does not lag despite the demanding role (and its dancing) and her voice seems to gain strength as the show progresses. Martin Short is terrific as Edna's husband, Wilbur. And Jennifer Hudson sings the heck out of her songs. The other cast members are, likewise, strong in their performances.

The set(s) also deserves mentioning. It is versatile and it captures the feeling of 1960s Baltimore.

Early on, I thought the show is very rewatchable, but its final length dampened my enthusiasm for re-viewing.

Addendum 12/8/16: Testing my theory, I rewatched the show, though I did fast forward through a section--something I would only do after watching the entire show.

I enjoyed it again. The First 1:35 is electric. Though I would miss the performances that would be removed, if they cut from that point (in Motormouth Records right after Inez says, "We'll set off sparks like Rosa Parks!") straight to the Corny Collins Show at 2:29, it would be a tighter production. Of course, they would have to shore up a few plot points.

The entire cast is magnificent. Some other special mentions: Shahadi Wright as Little Inez. Garrett Clayton as Link. Ephraim Sykes as Seaweed.

I grievously forgot to mention the Corny Collins Dancers. Tremendous!

Lastly, I want to mention the brief scene that takes place in the alley just before they are at Motormouth Records. Although the music anachronistically invokes Isaac Hayes' "Theme From Shaft" (1971), it provides the flavor and feeling of an era for a solid dance number.

Pros:

Maddie Baillio, Jennifer Hudson, Ephraim Sykes, and Shahadi Wright played their characters very well, and did a wonderful job. Great singers too!

Ariana Grande did not once try to upstage Baillio, nor did the producers put put more focus on her than Baillio.

Cons:

The camera angles were abysmal.

General lack of heart and soul than other recreations.

The choreographer must have been drunk for the first few numbers. Movements were very stiff.

Was the sound mixer asleep?

Technical issues with microphones, mainly them cutting out.

The sponsor ads in between, while creative and cute, felt very out of place.

Other characters did not act or sing with as much feeling.

Hairspray Live was amazing. Apart from a few stumbles and the cast not singing properly, NBC assembled an amazing cast. I loved it how they added some special appearances, as they played the people who are only in 1 or 2 scenes, the soundtrack was 100 times better than the 2007 film, which made the songs even better, thanks to the people who wrote the music for Charlie And The Chocolate Factory in Sydney, which was also great. This movie was by far my favourite and would love to see it live again with the same cast some time soon. Well done NBC keep up the great work

The 2007 'Hairspray' for me was an irresistible delight, from personal opinion one of the better film musicals in recent years and the most fun personally had from any film in a while. Everything about it just clicked.

While perhaps the second best of the live productions of musicals trend in the past few years or so, 'Hairspray' was uneven and somewhat disappointing. Watchable, but not a patch on the 2007 film, it just didn't give me the same amount of joy watching the film. As far as the live musical productions go, 'The Wiz Live' for me fared best, though that wasn't perfect either, but 'Hairspray Live' is marginally better than 'Grease Live' and much better than 'The Sound of Music Live' and especially 'Peter Pan Live'.

Not without its good qualities. Some of the cast do work very well. Harvey Fierstein is surprisingly good and has many delightful moments, take or leave him usually but he works well here. Kristin Chenoweth is highly deserving of her legendary status, she is an amazing vocalist who still sounds great and she is more than comfortable in her acting. Martin Short and Andrea Martin are often hilarious, while Jennifer Hudson sounds amazing as ever. Derek Hough proves himself to be just as good a singer as he is a dancer.

Sets and costumes are suitably colourful. The songs are still great, with a great mix of infectiously fun, toe-tapping and heartfelt. Some of the choreography is suitably spirited.

For all those good things, there are major deficits with 'Hairspray Live'. Not all the cast work with others faring very weakly. Ariana Grande sounds underpowered and while she fares very well in pop music she is completely wrong for musicals, she also has major limitations as an actress. Maddie Baillio is pretty stiff, while at other times overdoing it and struggles especially with the dancing, parts of her singing shows signs of serious strain which is painful to listen to. Dove Cameron is incredibly irritating and on the other side of the spectrum Garrett Clayton is dull. While Hudson sounds amazing, there are occasions where she overdoes it.

Direction is sloppy and there are technical problems galore. Particularly in the sound, which lacks resonance and drifts in and out, and the embarrassingly amateurish camera work that looks bad and doesn't at times focus on the right people or what's going on onstage.

Overall, not bad but vastly inferior to the film and quite uneven. 5/10 Bethany Cox

Is the musical wonderful..i Loved the actor "do" wilbur

This campy musical which takes place in the fifties in Baltimore in the middle of racial divide is a lot of fun. Of course, it's outrageous and silly in a lot of places, and granted the sound was a problem, but I really like that they are trying to get the fresh element of live television back a bit. The leads were good. I especially liked Derek Hough as Corny. He comes across as quite the showman. Who would have thought he could sing so well. There is a really positive message in all of this as the main character innocently puts a bomb in the works. She is delightful although I thought her dancing was a little weak. Harvey Fierstein is at his best as the mother of the young woman. And I could watch Martin Short all day long. A nice bit of commentary on a city that hasn't learned a lot in all these years.