Craig Zadan, a prolific producer of movies, television and Broadway musicals, including the Oscar-winning Chicago, Gypsy, Annie, Cinderella, Steel Magnolias, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, five live musicals on NBC and three Oscar telecasts on ABC, has died unexpectedly. He was 69. "It is with…

With recent credits including Kong: Skull Island, Inherent Vice and Guardians of the Galaxy, Hairspray Live! hair designer Miia Kovero might seem like an unexpected choice for this live televised stage production. In point of fact, with all of her blockbuster credits and auteur collaborations, Kovero started out in…

A fan of Hairspray in all its myriad adaptations over the years, on stage and on screen, Hairspray Live! costume designer Mary Vogt faced new challenges when called upon to give her one take on the beloved property. With the intense and very involved choreography on display in NBC’s latest live theater production—from…

2nd UPDATE, 10:42 AM: Hairspray Live! has made its last shimmy so to speak with no change in the NBC musical’s demo results but a small uptick in viewers – and a new low for NBC. The 8 – 10:54 PM Craig Zadan and Neil Meron produced adaptation of the Broadway show based on John Waters cult movie was watched by 9.045…

There were several firsts in Hairspray Live!, NBC’s fourth annual telecast of a Broadway musical (following The Sound Of Music, Peter Pan and last year’s The Wiz!) from exec producers Neil Meron and Craig Zadan. The hit tuner about 1962 Baltimore and one chubby teenage girl’s determination to integrate an American Band…

Hairspray has more lives than a cat. I am talking about the now-several incarnations of the property, which started as an independent cult-hit film from director John Waters in 1988. It later was turned into a Tony-winning Broadway musical in 2002, followed by a hit film version in 2007 and now is morphing into a live…

Broadway’s Ephraim Sykes (Hamilton) and Shahadi Wright Joseph (School of Rock) have rounded out the cast of Hairspray Live!, NBC's live musical produced by Universal Television that will air December 7 from Los Angeles. They will play Seaweed J. Stubbs and Little Inez, respectively, joining previously cast Harvey…

When I sat down early this week with Derek McLane, nominated for his sets for both the 2016 Academy Awards and NBC's presentation of The Wiz Live!, I took out my camera to shoot some candids as we conversed. McLane suggested we switch places, explaining that the overstuffed bookshelves behind me would be much more…

Dedicating their lives to the pursuit of every iteration of the musical—from Broadway, to film and TV—Neil Meron and Craig Zadan have successfully reinvigorated a cultural phenomenon that has laid dormant for many years, in the form of the live TV musical. With the unquestionable validation of their 2013 test run—as…

Here is our first look at Hairspray Live!, NBC's live musical produced by Universal Television that will air December 7 from Los Angeles. Based on the Tony-winning Broadway musical, Hairspray Live! takes place in 1962 Baltimore, where teenager Tracy Turnblad's dream is to dance on The Corny Collins Show, a local TV…

Two-time Emmy and Tony winner Andrea Martin is the latest to sign up for Hairspray Live!, NBC's live musical produced by Universal Television that will air December 7 from Los Angeles. She will play Prudy Pingleton, the overprotective and often close-minded mother of Penny Pingleton (Ariana Grande) who doesn't approve…

Sean Hayes will play the role of dress shop owner Mr. Pinky in NBC’s holiday presentation of Hairspray Live! and Rosie O’Donnell will play the gym teacher in the live adaptation of the 1960’s-set musical, producers Neil Meron and Craig Zadan announced during the special’s TCA panel ending NBC’s portion of the…