LIVE SPECIAL: NBC’s latest live musical completes John Waters’ trip from pop-culture rebel and outlier to total mainstream artist, as his 1988 movie Hairspray, turned years ago into a hit, Tony Award-winning Broadway musical (which itself was turned into another movie, a la Mel Brooks’ The Producers), is performed tonight on live broadcast network television. Harvey Fierstein reclaims his stage role of Edna Turnblad, newcomer Maddie Baillio stars as wannabe featured TV dancer Tracy Turnblad, and co-stars include Kristin Chenoweth, Ariana Grande, Jennifer Hudson, Martin Short, Sean Hayes, Andrea Martin, Rosie O’Donnell, and actresses who starred as two previous Tracys: Ricki Lake from Waters’ original movie, and Marissa Janet Winokur as the Tony-winning Broadway star. Following on the high heels of NBC’s The Wiz, Peter Pan and The Sound of Music, this Hairspray Live! could well be the network’s best live musical production yet. Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, who produced the others, are in charge again, so this new Hairspray is in the hands of some very savvy stylists.