You can watch Ariana Grande in Hairspray Live! For free this weekend

27 May 2020, 12:10

Ariana Grande plays Penny in Hairspray Live!

By Sophie Thompson

From Friday 29 May, for 48 hours, you'll be able to watch the 2016 version of the Hairspray musical for free starring Ariana Grande - right in your living room.

Ariana Grande stans, this is our week. Not only have we been blessed with the greatness that is 'Rain On Me', but this weekend for 48 hours only, you'll be able to watch our lord and saviour herself in Hairspray, for free, right from your home.

As well as Ari, Jennifer Hudson Maddie Baillio, Dove Cameron, Martin Short, and Billy Eichner all star in the 2016 version of the musical which was originally broadcast as a special on NBC, and is based on the Tony Award-winning original that takes place in Baltimore in the 60s.

The streaming session is forming part of YouTube's 'The Shows Must Go On' series, which has already seen a number of classic Andrew Lloyd-Webber musicals online for free for limited periods each week to support theatres while they're unable to run performances - and its already raised over half a million dollars.

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Musicals that have already had their moment on the dedicated YouTube channel include Cats, Jesus Christ Superstar and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, and Corny Collins fans are sure to be at their TVs in their best workout gear for the re-run of the dance-packed Hairspray viewing, because it was nominated for a whopping seven Emmy Awards when it first aired, winning three.

Naturally, Ari, who plays sidekick Penny in the show, got her start in musical theatre, and was actually on broadway at the age of 14, starring in the musical 13 - and specifically requested to be in the Hairspray reprise as soon as she heard it was happening.

Ariana Grande plays Penny in Hairspray Live!

During the performance, based on the story of Tracy Turnblad, a teenager desperate to get onto her favourite all-dancing TV show, we'll be blessed with all of the classic karaoke anthems including 'You Can't Stop the Beat', and viewers will have a chance to donate to the cause, helping actors out of work.

It'll be streamed from Friday 29 May at 7pm BST over on the Shows Must Go On YouTube channel, and will be taken down at the same time on Sunday, 48 hours later.

See you in Baltimore.

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