This Just In! Direct from Broadway, HAIRSPRAY LIVE! Casts Seaweed and Little Inez; Plus New Video Promo

This just in! Essence.com has just broken the news that HAIRSPRAY LIVE! has completed its all-star dream cast with not one, but two final cast members - direct from Broadway! In the role of Seaweed will be Ephraim Sykes of HAMILTON and playing his sister, Little Inez will be Shahadi Wright Joseph, who made history at age 9 as the youngest actor to play Young Nala in Disney's Broadway production of THE LION KING and was part of the original cast of SCHOOL OF ROCK.

Sykes is also a vet of MOTOWN, NEWSIES, MEMPHIS, THE LITTLE MERMAID, as well as VINYL, SMASH and 30 ROCK on the small screen.

NBC's HAIRSPRAY LIVE will air Wednesday, Dec. 7 at 8 p.m. ET/PT and will originate from Los Angeles. The all-star cast also includes Harvey Fierstein as Edna Turnblad, Jennifer Hudson as Motormouth Mabel, Martin Short as Wilbur Turnblad, Derek Hough as Corny Collins, Ariana Grande as Penny Pingleton, Andrea Martin as Prudy Pingleton and Kristin Chenoweth as Velma Von Tussle. Rosie O'Donnell and Sean Hayes will also make special appearances in the broadcast.

Live television director Alex Rudzinski will join director Kenny Leon ("The Wiz Live!"). Craig Zadan and Neil Meron (the upcoming "A Few Good Men Live!") serve as executive producers of "Hairspray Live!" Harvey Fierstein will provide a new teleplay and Jerry Mitchell ("Kinky Boots," "On Your Feet") will serve as choreographer for the live production with music and lyrics by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman ("Smash" and Broadway's upcoming "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory"). Derek McLane serves as set designer.

Based on the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical, "Hairspray Live!" takes place in 1962 Baltimore. Teenager Tracy Turnblad's dream is to dance on "The Corny Collins Show," a local TV program. When, against all odds, Tracy wins a role on the show, she becomes a celebrity overnight and meets a colorful array of characters, including the resident dreamboat, Link; the ambitious mean girl, Amber; an African-American boy she meets in detention, Seaweed; and his mother, Motormouth Maybelle, the owner of a local record store. Tracy's mother is the indomitable Edna Turnblad, and she eventually encourages Tracy on her campaign to integrate the all-white "Corny Collins Show."