Hairspray Live!

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'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'!

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.

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.

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.