I've been obsessed with the musical Hairspray ever since I saw the non-Equity touring production of it when it passed through Greenville, South Carolina, back in 2007. In fact, when I moved to New York City the next year, I saw the Broadway production a record 17 times in its final three months. OB. SESSED. Musical theatre at its finest. Its message of love and acceptance for yourself and others strikes a powerful chord with me, and the amount of joy it brings me has solidified it as my top favorite musical of all time.

So you can imagine my excitement when the opportunity fell into my lap to produce NBC's live broadcast, officially called "Hairspray LIVE!" in 2016. Hands-down one of the best experiences in my life.

Although I would have done any job I was assigned, I came on board as a producer to work directly with the cast. My responsibilities in rehearsal and the live performance were quite varied, spanning most departments. Here's a taste of what I did...

I led private rehearsals for members of the cast, including Kristin Chenoweth, Ariana Grande, Jennifer Hudson, Ricki Lake, and Andrea Martin.

Whenever available, I attended and filmed group rehearsals for private rehearsal purposes for cast.​

I attended costume fittings, took photos, gave notes, provided additional options, and maintained "Bible" of costumes.​

I maintained a detailed run-of-show for all costume changes, scene transitions, and other production logistics. and used it to help the actors get to the right locations throughout the vast set during rehearsals and during the live broadcast.

I was also the point of contact for backstage guests, plus, I was responsible for creating and distributing cast gifts.

It was one of the best things I've ever experienced in my life.