Martin Short & Derek Hough Join Cast of NBC's HAIRSPRAY LIVE!

[Rob]

Posted: 4/27/16 at 2:11pm

Click Here to Read Breaking News: Martin Short & Derek Hough Join Cast of NBC's HAIRSPRAY LIVE!

[IdinaBellFoster]

Posted: 4/27/16 at 2:16pm

Martin Short and Harvey Fierstein will be BRILLIANT together.

[Homedecor22]

Posted: 4/27/16 at 2:28pm

I love the choice of Martin short as Wilbur he is funny. Derek hough idk I know he can dance but can he sing. I wouldn't be shocked if the cast announcement is complete this week

[Jshan05]

Posted: 4/27/16 at 2:32pm

Martin Short is going to be terrific! YAY! Can't wait to see who else gets cast.

[quizking101]

Posted: 4/27/16 at 2:33pm

How the hell is Derek Hough finding time to do this in addition to the upcoming SINGIN' IN THE RAIN revival set for January of 2017?

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 4/27/16 at 2:36pm

Derek Hough, I know he can dance, but can he sing?

Here he is singing Anything You Can Do with his sister...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vG4Hq2PkrE

[lucillefrank]

Posted: 4/27/16 at 2:38pm

Martin Short will be perfect. I had like 5 minutes of being mad about Derek Hough but just listened to him sing and I'm into it.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 4/27/16 at 2:42pm

Hough is only playing Corny Collins so it's basically a bit part.  He can perfectly learn his material, camera blocking and choreography in less than a week.  He can easily do all of this while still rehearsing SINGIN' IN THE RAIN. 

 

[Sondheimite]

Posted: 4/27/16 at 2:43pm

Corny Collins is much bigger than a "bit part"

[ChildofEarth]

Posted: 4/27/16 at 2:44pm

At first I thought Hough was going to be Link, and I was mad. Then I found out he was going to be Corny and I was almost relieved. Still, there are better options out there.

[ucjrdude902]

Posted: 4/27/16 at 2:46pm

I've got on good word a Velma announcement should be coming in the next week.

From my understanding they want at least 75% of the cast locked in before Upfronts. 

Updated On: 4/27/16 at 02:46 PM

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 4/27/16 at 2:49pm

He doesn't carry the show and only has a few short scenes.  The longest stage time he has it at the end of the show.  Hough is a disciplined dancer who choreographs and dances several dances in 4-5 days during his run on DANCING WITH THE STARS.  He's more than capable of beginning Day 1 of rehearsals already off-book, learn his choreography (which I'm sure will be expanded for him) in a day and leave the rest of the time to rehearse and learn his camera blocking during tech rehearsals.  

[Homedecor22]

Posted: 4/27/16 at 2:52pm

Jeffrey Karasarides said: "Derek Hough, I know he can dance, but can he sing?

Here he is singing Anything You Can Do with his sister...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vG4Hq2PkrE

Ok I am sold he can sing he is goin be great as corny collins

 

[Homedecor22]

Posted: 4/27/16 at 2:56pm

ucjrdude902 said: "I've got on good word a Velma announcement should be coming in the next week.

From my understanding they want at least 75% of the cast locked in before Upfronts. 

 

I wonder if they goin announce who will be link, seawweed, penny, Amber, and lil Inez. Would love to see Bebe neuwirth as Velma 

[JM226]

Posted: 4/27/16 at 3:11pm

^ bebe is a regular on MADAM SECRETARY. she wouldn't have the time to be able to do this. 

[JamieM3]

Posted: 4/27/16 at 3:11pm

I'm really liking the casting for this so far.

 

Btw, Hough is a professionally trained theatre actor and was in a few West End shows before his time on DWTS. My friend saw him as Ren in Footloose in London back in 2006 or 2007 and said he was great. I'm sure he'll do fine as Corny.

 

I do wonder if they are going to push back the opening of Singin' in the Rain though. Isn't it planned to open in January of next year? So they would already be in previews in December. Or at the very least in rehearsals.

[lucillefrank]

Posted: 4/27/16 at 3:13pm

ucjrdude902 said: "I've got on good word a Velma announcement should be coming in the next week.

From my understanding they want at least 75% of the cast locked in before Upfronts. 

 

"

I really hope it's Christine Baranski. I can't think of better casting than that.

[10086sunset]

Posted: 4/27/16 at 3:14pm

NBC deserves credit here. Believe they realize just having live musical is no longer enough. 

[Valentina3]

Posted: 4/27/16 at 3:17pm

I'm sure this would help the producers of Singing.. advertise Derek's actual singing tremendously. They'll probably overlook his absence from rehearsals or a couple of previews in lieu of the benefits of him being in a highly anticipated televised theater event right before their own opening.

 

That, and the fact that he is a consummate professional who has the discipline to do both things together.

[JM226]

Posted: 4/27/16 at 3:19pm

BrodyFosse123 said: "Hough is only playing Corny Collins so it's basically a bit part.  He can perfectly learn his material, camera blocking and choreography in less than a week.  He can easily do all of this while still rehearsing SINGIN' IN THE RAIN. 

 

 

"

 

did you forget that this year the NBC broadcast is in Hollywood? are you suggesting he's going to fly back-and-forth for over a month? not feasible, considering how frequently both the Broadway production and the NBC broadcast will rehearse... 

[JM226]

Posted: 4/27/16 at 3:22pm

I really hope it's Christine Baranski. I can't think of better casting than that.

 

uhhh... Baranski will be 64 yrs. old at the time of the broadcast. that means Velma would have been 46 - 48 yrs. old at time of Amber's birth.  not likely. 

[lucillefrank]

Posted: 4/27/16 at 3:29pm

JM226 said: "I really hope it's Christine Baranski. I can't think of better casting than that.

 

uhhh... Baranski will be 64 yrs. old at the time of the broadcast. that means Velma would have been 46 - 48 yrs. old at time of Amber's birth.  not likely. 

 

"

I forgot you have to be the exact age of the character you're playing. My bad.

Updated On: 4/27/16 at 03:29 PM

[ChildofEarth]

Posted: 4/27/16 at 3:45pm

Jane Krakowski still has my vote for Velma. I would have thought Julianne would be a good Amber but I doubt that now.

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 4/27/16 at 4:13pm

"At first I thought Hough was going to be Link, and I was mad. Then I found out he was going to be Corny and I was almost relieved. Still, there are better options out there."

I feel similarly... mostly indifferent. Like, oh, Mario Lopez is going to be Vince... OK, I guess.

I'm actually more interested to hear that NBC is giving Martin Short and Maya Rudolph a variety show. What are doing, Bob Greenblatt?

[broadwayboy223]

Posted: 4/27/16 at 4:33pm

ChildofEarth said: "Jane Krakowski still has my vote for Velma. I would have thought Julianne would be a good Amber but I doubt that now.

 

"

I hope it's Jane!! I would love to see her as Velma