Ariana Grande Bags The Role Of Penny Pingleton In Hairspray Live! Excited To Go Back To Her Broadway Roots!

Ariana Grande had started her career with acting on Nickelodeon and had graced the television sets with her acting prowess even in Scream Queens. The Dangerous Woman singer is now going to be a part of Hairspray Live! Hairspray Live!, is the latest NBC production and she has been roped in to play the role of Penny along with actors like Jennifer Hudson, Derek Hough, Kristin Chenoweth, Harvey Fierstein, Martin Short and Maddie Baillio, who is a newcomer.

Hairspray Live! is based on the 1960s classic, Hairspray, which follows the story of Tracy Turnblad. Tracy loves to dance and dreams of becoming a part of the popular dance program, The Corny Collins Show. The show traces out the racial segregation that was prevalent in the 1960s. Penny is Tracy’s dorky friend, who has an overprotective mother, Prudy.

Things become serious when Penny falls in love with Seaweed J. Stubbs, an African-American. There is instant chemistry between Penny and Seaweed, but Prudy disapproves of the young couple as it was a taboo for a white girl to date a black boy.

Those aware of the role that Ariana Grande has been chosen for will agree that she is perfect for it. Ariana Grande isn’t new to the Broadway since she has been a part of the stage from a very young age. She had been a part of the Fort Lauderdale Children’s Theatre and had performed in the lead role of Anne, Wizard of Oz and even Beauty and the Beast.

Grande has also been part of young theatre groups and has performed on the Broadway with 13 and Great White Way. She is a regular performer on the stage for her concerts and can surely punch a mean move. Given her skills in dancing and singing, there is no doubt that Ariana Grande is going to do a great job as Penny in NBC’s Hairspray Live!

Grande is clearly very excited about the casting, and she couldn’t stop gushing about it when the news was officially announced. She went on to say that Penny has always been a dream role ever since Hairspray came out in the Broadways and she is super excited and honored to be a part of it along with a dream cast.

Ariana Grande even joked that she is so stoked about being a part of Hairspray Live! That she might pass out of all the excitement when she sits at the table reading with the whole cast.

The rest of the star cast for Hairspray Live! are pretty excited about having Ariana Grande on board. Harvey Fierstein, who plays the role of Edna, Tracy’s mother, posted that she can’t wait for the production start and is excited to act with Ariana Grande, who is so talented. Even Kristin Chenoweth, who will play the role of the Velma said she is thrilled to share the stage with Ariana Grande as Penny.

Ariana Grande has some strong supporters backing her. According to Daily Mail, Kerry Butler, who played the role of Penny in the 2002 production of Hairspray, extended her support to Ariana Grande and said that she was perfect for the role. She said that she would surely watch the show along with her daughter and will cheer for Grande.

Amanda Bynes was the last one to play the role of Penny in the 2007 production of Hairspray and given the similarity that the two have, Ariana Grande is the perfect choice for the role. In fact, Penny has a thing for lollipops and so does Ariana Grande in real life.