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The telecast will air Wednesday, Dec. 7 at 8 p.m.
Fierstein worked on the original script as well as adapted the show for its Las Vegas and Hollywood Bowl productions. He also created the role of Edna, mother of central character Tracy Turnblad, in the stage version. He won the Tony in 2003 for the role.
And Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson will take on the part of "big, blonde and beautiful" Motormouth Maybelle.
"We are beyond thrilled with this incredibly talented duo of stars for 'Hairspray Live!'" NBC Entertainment Chairman Robert Greenblatt announced. "Harvey Fierstein created the role of Edna Turnblad on Broadway in an indelible Tony-winning performance that demanded to be memorialized on film, and we're happy he wanted to step into her shoes one last, unforgettable time."
As an actor, Fierstein has won Tonys as Best Actor in a Musical for "Hairspray" and Best Actor in a Play for his own "Torch Song Trilogy".
As a writer, Fierstein won Tonys for "La Cage aux Folles" and "Torch Song Trilogy," and received three more Tony nominations for writing "Kinky Boots," "Newsies" and "Casa Valentina."
His adaptation of "Funny Girl" is currently running, along with "Kinky Boots," in London.
The director will be Kenny Leon, a Tony Award-winning Broadway director whose Broadway credits include hip-hop musical "Holler If Ya Hear Me" and the revival of "A Raisin in the Sun," which starred Denzel Washington, Anika Noni Rose, Sophie Okonedo and LaTanya Richardson Jackson, and earned Leon a Tony for Best Director.
The choreographer will be Jerry Mitchell, the original choreographer of "Hairspray." He won a Tony in 2005 as choreographer of "La Cage aux Folles" and won his second Tony in 2013 as choreographer for the Broadway hit "Kinky Boots," for which he was also nominated as director.
Craig Zadan and Neil Meron will be the producers. THey have produced all three of NBC's recent holiday musicals - "The Sound of Music Live!," "Peter Pan Live!" and "The Wiz Live!" - as well as the big-screen adaptions of "Hairspray," "Footloose," "The Bucket List" and the Oscar-winning Best Picture "Chicago."
There is a casting call out for an unknown actor to play the lead role of Tracy. Click here to read the casting call announcement.
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