Thursday afternoon, Ariana Grande personally broke the news that she will be playing Penny Pingleton in NBC’s forthcoming “Hairspray Live!”
NBC was right behind with an official press release on the matter. The press release includes a supportive comment from NBC chairman Bob Greenblatt.
“We’re absolutely thrilled to round out our all-star ‘Hairspray Live!’ cast with Ariana Grande, one of the biggest recording artists in the world,” says Greenblatt. “She’s also a Broadway baby at heart, having debuted on Broadway when she was 15, and will be fantastic in the delightful role of Penny Pingleton. We look forward to her millions of fans seeing yet another side to this multifaceted performer and we welcome her to this incredible ensemble of artists.”
Other cast members include Harvey Fierstein, Jennifer Hudson, Kristin Chenoweth, Martin Short, Derek Hough and Maddie Baillio. The show is scheduled for 8PM on December 7.
