Martin Short and former Dancing with the Stars pro Derek Hough join Jennifer Hudson and Harvey Fierstein in the cast of NBC’s Hairspray Live! Derek is set to play dance show host, Corny Collins, while Short plays Wilbur Turnblad. Check out an excerpt from the NBC press release below.
Tony and Emmy Award-winner Martin Short and Emmy Award-winner Derek Hough have joined the cast of NBC’s “Hairspray Live!,” the network’s next live Broadway musical holiday event following the phenomenal success of The Wiz Live!
“We are very happy to have the inimitable Martin Short to play Edna’s loving husband, Wilbur,” said Robert Greenblatt, Chairman, NBC Entertainment. “We welcome Marty to the network in May in his new variety show with Maya Rudolph and we think he will be the perfect long-term companion to Harvey’s Edna. And hands-down the best dancer on television and one of the best in the entertainment business, Derek Hough, will be perfect in the role of Corny Collins, the cocky song-and-dance-man who hosts the TV show every teenager in Baltimore wants to be on.”
Martin Short, a celebrated comedian and actor, has won fans and accolades in television, film and theater since his breakout season on “Saturday Night Live” more than 30 years ago.
Two-time Emmy winner Derek Hough is portraying Corny Collins. Hough won a pair of Emmys for choreography for the ABC series Dancing With the Stars. He appeared on the show for 16 seasons and won six times with six different dance partners, including Brooke Burke, Jennifer Grey and Amber Riley (American Idol’s Kellie Pickler too!).
Hough hit the boards on London’s West End in the 2006 original cast production of Footloose. He then made his Broadway debut in 2010 in the stage show Burn the Floor and was recently announced as the lead actor in a 2017 Broadway revival of Singin’ in the Rain. Hough also has a recurring role in the ABC drama Nashville.
Live television director Alex Rudzinski will join director Kenny Leon (“The Wiz Live!”). Craig Zadan and Neil Meron (the upcoming “A Few Good Men Live!”) serve as executive producers of Hairspray Live! Harvey Fierstein will provide a new teleplay and Jerry Mitchell (Kinky Boots, On Your Feet) will serve as choreographer for the live production with music and lyrics by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman (Smash and Broadway’s upcoming Charlie and the Chocolate Factory).
