NBC’s ‘Hairspray Live’ Offers Walk-On Role To One Lucky Baltimore Resident

NBC has just announced that they have made room for one more dancer to be featured in the network’s production of Hairspray Live! which airs in December. Just as Tracy Turnblad dreamed of one day appearing on Baltimore’s fictional Corny Collins dance show, one contestant in an upcoming audition/contest will also receive the same honor, only bigger.

The Hairspray Live! dance contest has been set for Thursday, September 15, at the Hippodrome Theater in Baltimore and anyone age 18 or older who is a resident of the WBAL-TV Channel 11 market can enter. Maddie Baillio, who plays Tracy in Hairspray Live!, will be among the producers and choreographers serving as judges. The winner of the contest and a guest will be flown to Los Angeles on November 27 for rehearsals and will be flown back after taking part in the live telecast production on December 7.

To help prepare for the role, Derek Hough, who plays Corny Collins in the program, has put together a virtual dance class video, as well as a page of notes to help guide potential dancers.

“The opportunity to influence an up-and-coming dancer is truly an honor,” Hough said. “Going back to Baltimore where this story first began is a full-circle moment for ‘Hairspray.’ Our winner will be a great addition to this already stellar cast.”

Based on the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical, Hairspray Live! is set in 1962 where a plus-sized teenager has even larger dreams of stardom on her local TV channel. To everyone’s surprise, she gets a shot on the show. But the musical is more than just twisting and turning and using a lot of hairspray to hold up fabulous doos, the musical features an important underlying message about accepting oneself, treating others with respect, and racial equality.

To audition for Hairspray Live!, follow this link to watch the video and fill out the audition form, then show up at the Hippodrome any time after 8 a.m. on September 15.

Last month, NBC released a teaser trailer for the live program, along with a full list of who is starring in the show. While the given role is a walk-on part, there may be some opportunities for the winner of the dance contest to mingle with some of the cast of the production which includes Harvey Fierstein, Jennifer Hudson, Ariana Grande, Kristin Chenoweth, Martin Short, Derek Hough, Dove Cameron, Garrett Clayton, Ephraim Sykes, Shahadi Wright Joseph, exciting newcomer Maddie Baillio, and special guest stars Sean Hayes, Andrea Martin, and Rosie O’Donnell.

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“In keeping with our desire to bring the best of Broadway to our live musicals, we’ve assembled the Broadway dream team of Tony Award winners for Hairspray Live!,” said Robert Greenblatt, Chairman, NBC Entertainment. “We’re thrilled to have director Kenny Leon, who knocked The Wiz Live! way out of the park, and Jerry Mitchell, the original choreographer of Hairspray, who is the director of two smash hit musicals running on Broadway right now.”

Just last week, NBC announced that Broadway stars Ephraim Sykes and Shahadi Wright Joseph have been cast as Seaweed J. Stubbs (son of Motormouth Mabelle, who falls in love with Tracy’s best friend Penny) and Little Inez (Seaweed’s younger sister) respectively.

Sykes has been a part of the Broadway Hamilton cast, as well as four other Broadway musicals. Wright Joseph has been the youngest actor to play the part of Young Nala in Disney’s The Lion King stage production. She has also been featured in School of Rock.

[Image courtesy of NBC]