PHOTO: Harvey Fierstein Welcomes HAIRSPRAY LIVE! Star Maddie Baillio

Harvey Fierstein, set to reprise his Tony-winning role as Edna Turnblad on screen in NBC's HAIRSPRAY LIVE! welcomed newcomer Maddie Baillio to the cast this morning on NBC's "TODAY." THE 20 year-old Baillio, an accomplished singer and dancer from League City, Texas, won the role of Tracy Turnblad after auditioning at an open casting call in New York City attended by nearly 1,000 hopefuls. Check out the photo from this morning's TODAY show below:

A sophomore at Marymount Manhattan College, Baillio recently starred as Dracula in "Dracula, the Musical" and Winnifred in "Once Upon a Mattress" as part of the York Theatre Company's musical theater training program. Baillio was named 2014 Great American Songbook Youth Ambassador and
in 2015 performed with Michael Feinstein to capacity audiences at venues such as the KENNEDY Center, the Grand 1894 Opera House, Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center and Birdland Jazz Club.

In addition to Baillio and Fierstein, "Hairspray Live!" stars Jennifer Hudson, Martin Short and Derek Hough. "Hairspray Live!" will air Wednesday, Dec. 7 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.

Photo by Peter Kramer/NBC