Sean Hayes, Rosie O’Donnell added to cast of NBC's 'Hairspray Live'

BEVERLY HILLS, California -- NBC's Hairspray Live continues to cast more A-list stars.

At the network's Television Critics Association, the show's producers revealed that Sean Hayes will play Mr. Pinkie and Rosie O’Donnell will play the gym teacher in the upcoming live telecast.

The uplifting musical comedy delves into the issues of racial segregation in Baltimore in the 1960s, a storyline which director Kenny Leon (The Wiz Live) feels is especially relevant today.

"I'm just happy to do this story at this particular time," he said during the panel.

Newcomer Maddie Baillio, from Texas, has been tapped to play the lead role of Tracy Turnblad.

Other cast members include Ariana Grande (Penny), Kristin Chenoweth (Velma Von Tussle), Martin Short (Wilbur Turnblad), Harvey Fierstein (Edna Turnblad; he is also one of the show's writers), Jennifer Hudson (Motormouth Maybelle) and Derek Hough (Corny Collins).

During TCA, cast members were visibly excited for the performance.

Baillio said she is so happy she decided to audition last minute (at 3 a.m. the morning of the audition, to be exact). It was her first audition outside of school and class.

Chenoweth lamented she's wanted to play in Hairspray since 1998. "I guess now it's the right time," she said.

"I said yes immediately," Hough said of joining the ensemble.

"Who wouldn't want to have a love affair with Martin Short?" quipped Fierstein, who is reprising his Edna role from his Broadway days. "Music just brings us all together in a way that words just don't."

Hudson, who won an Oscar for her role in Dreamgirls, said: "I've always been into anything that had to do with music."

But no one was more pumped than Grande, a self-proclaimed "theater geek."

"Pop music is fun, but this is way more fun," she said. "It's a dream come true for me. I love Penny and it's a great honor to play her."

Hairspray will be very different than Grease Live, The Wiz Live and The Sound of Music. One key difference will be the setting. Hairspray Live will be filmed on the Universal Lot in California, both inside and outside.

Live television director Alex Rudzinski, executive producer Neil Meron, Leon and Executive Producer Craig Zadan all said they have learned from their past experiences working on the other live musical telecasts.

"It hopefully encourages people to watch television more and go to the theater more," Leon said.

Hairspray Live will air on NBC on Dec. 7 at 8 p.m. EST.