Fans of musical theatre have been well taken care of in lockdown by The Shows Must Go On, a new YouTube channel created by the legendary Andrew Lloyd Webber.

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Every Friday, the channel streams a beloved stage musical and keeps it free to watch for the following 48 hours, giving you a compelling and affordable entertainment option for the weekend.

The initiative started out by showing Webber's own productions, but has recently expanded to include other theatre greats - including this week's stream of Hairspray Live!, the musical based on John Waters' 1988 film.

This particular production is truly star-studded, enlisting the talents of music legends Jennifer Hudson and Ariana Grande, as well as acclaimed theatre star Kristin Chenoweth.

Here's how to watch Hairspray for free this weekend...

How to watch Hairspray Live! for free online

Hairspray Live! will be streamed online via The Shows Must Go On. To watch live with thousands of other fans, simply go to the YouTube video below at 7pm BST on Friday 29th May.

The full show will be available free of charge for 48 hours after the initial stream.

Viewers are encouraged to donate what they can to charity as a thank you for the performance, such as UK arts charity Acting For Others or the NHS Charities COVID-19 appeal.

Who's in the cast of Hairspray Live!?

The cast for the production streaming from Friday 29th May includes Maddie Baillio, Billy Eichner, Jennifer Hudson, Martin Short, Dove Cameron, Harvey Fierstein and Ariana Grande.

Baillio (Dumplin') plays the lead Tracy Turnblad, while Fierstein and Short play her parents, Edna and Wilbur Turnblad.

Hudson takes on the role of Maybelle 'Motormouth' Stubbs and popstar Grande that of Penny Pingleton.

Meanwhile, Disney's Garrett Clayton plays Tracy's crush Link Larkin.

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If you're looking for more to watch, check out our TV guide.

Authors

David Craig
David CraigSenior Drama Writer

David Craig is the Senior Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest and greatest scripted drama and comedy across television and streaming. Previously, he worked at Starburst Magazine, presented The Winter King Podcast for ITVX and studied Journalism at the University of Sheffield.

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