“Hairspray Live!” was clearly influenced by Fox’s production of the Emmy-winning “Grease: Live” - which had the performers scrambling across a massive lot in between numbers, with a live audience on hand to provide applause and laughter. The emotional highlight of the production was Hudson’s knock-out delivery of “I Know Where I’ve Been.” The anthemic call for social action has taken on added resonance in the nation’s post-election political climate, probably more so than it had when NBC chose “Hairspray” as this year’s holiday tuner back in January. But given that “Hairspray Live!” just needed to be good - and that Tracy just needed to be bright, bubbly, and engaging - Baillio, along with the rest of the cast, carried it off in style.
If there was a weak link, it was newcomer Maddie Baillio, who seemed a little flustered and was perhaps a skosh too restrained, even in the final number. Their number “Run and Tell That” was one of the first big hits of the evening. Ephraim Sykes and Shahadi Wright Joseph, both Broadway veterans despite their young ages, broke out onto the mainstream consciousness in a big way. Derek Hough, who can often be a distractingly energetic presence, was priceless as Corny Collins (is there a way he could just play that character, forever?).
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