"Hairspray Live" just debuted on NBC and I've yet to watch it. Not because I refuse to watch it, I've just been working on a show all week and haven't had time to sit down and enjoy it. I'm actually pretty excited to see it, despite the reactions some of my peers had. I don't understand why the nose gets turned up at televised theatre. I did at first, in all honesty. The thought of having something as sacred as live theatre broadcast on television for all to see made my stomach churn because viewers of live TV musicals aren't getting the real, living and breathing experience of being at a real theatrical performance. That is until I had a change of heart. And no, it's not because some of the "Newsies" were in "Peter Pan Live."

I realized not everyone has the privilege of going to a live performance. Tickets to Broadway are through the roof expensive and some cities don't have enough local theatre to bring to its residents. It's little kids sitting at home wanting to see a Broadway musical, but can't because of a monetary or location constraint that kills me. Everyone should have an opportunity to see a live show, whether you're in the theatre or not. You're not getting the same experience by any means, but you're still viewing a show that's happening live as you are watching. The technicians and actors certainly get the same kick out of performing a one time thing with each other in front of TV cameras. Just take a look at some of the "Hairspray Live" cast on Instagram, you'll see how emotional the theatre can get. But, someone's inability to pay for an actual show shouldn't be a constraint in allowing them to see something.

That's why I think NBC and FOX are up to something with this live musical event business. They know that people come to the theatre to feel connected, and I think that in order to make it better. Social media has grown to where if you had the hashtag for "Hairspray", you could join a whole conversation. Live televised musicals have turned into this event where people are actually talking about it instead of sitting and not speaking up. I think televised musicals are going to continue to grow into a positive thing