Video Look Back: HAIRSPRAY LIVE Marks Ariana Grande's Return to Musical Theater Roots!

As BWW reported yesterday, music superstar and stage and television actress Ariana Grande has been added to an already impressive cast for NBC's HAIRSPRAY LIVE, playing the role of Penny Pingleton, Tracy Turnblad's incorrigible best friend.

Grande joins an announced stellar cast that includes Harvey Fierstein, Jennifer Hudson, Kristin Chenoweth, Martin Short, Derek Hough and exciting newcomer Maddie Baillio. The highly anticipated live musical production, to be telecast Wednesday, Dec. 7 at 8 p.m. ET/PT, will be executive produced by Craig Zadan and Neil Meron.

As theater fans know, Grande made her Broadway debut in 2008's 13 THE MUSICAL. Although she has gone on to achieve international fame as a pop star, the award-winning singer has never forgotten her musical theater roots. Don't believe us? Check out the proof below!

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Ariana Grande riffs in the studio, recording "Brand New You" from the Broadway musical '13.'

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In the midst of her 2015 'Honeymoon Tour,' Grande shared some backstage fun with her fans, posting a video of her singing "Take Me or Leave Me" from RENT, and later channeling her inner Carolee Carmello to sing "The Winner Takes it All" from MAMMA MIA!

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During a 2015 appearance on the TONIGHT SHOW, host Jimmy Fallon challenged Grande to a game of 'Wheel of Musical Impressions", in which she had to combine such singers as Christina Aguilera and Celine Dion with songs such as "The Wheels on the Bus" and "I Can't Feel My Face."

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Earlier this year, Grande and 13 THE MUSICAL composer Jason Robert Brown reunited to perform songs from the Broadway musical at one of his concerts.

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In March of this year, Grande hosted NBC's SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE, and channeled SOUND OF MUSIC's Maria who catches her fellow nuns (Aidy Bryant, Cecily Strong, Vanessa Bayer, Sasheer Zamata, Kate McKinnon) singing smack about her!

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Later in the episode, when Tidal music experiences technical difficulty, Chloe the intern (Ariana Grande) steps in and performs hit songs from Britney Spears, Shakira, Rihanna and more.

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In 2014, MTV brought back its legendary music series "TRL" with Grande for one day only to take over the iconic MTV Times Square studio for "Total Ariana Live". During the show, host Sway challenged the singer to a round of "Hip-Hop Mix-up," a hip-hop roulette game in which Grande randomly spun two wheels, one landing on a hip-hop song, the other determining that she sing it in the Broadway musical style.

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And finally - check out what Ms. Grande herself had to say about yesterday's casting news:

And Kerry Butler returned the HAIRSPRAY love by tweeting: