Hairspray (musical)

*Hairspray*
Hairspray
	File:Hairspray Poster.gif Window card for the original Broadway production
Music	Marc Shaiman
Lyrics	Scott Wittman; Marc Shaiman
Book	Mark O'Donnell; Thomas Meehan
Basis	1988 film Hairspray
Productions	2002 Broadway ; 2005 Toronto ; 2006 Las Vegas ; 2006 Helsinki ; 2007 Tokyo ; 2007 West End ; International productions
Awards	Tony Award Best Musical; Tony Award Best Book; Tony Award Best Score ; Drama Desk Outstanding Musical ; Drama Desk Outstanding Book ; Drama Desk Outstanding Music

Hairspray is a musical with music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Scott Wittman and Shaiman and a book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan, based on the 1988 John Waters movie Hairspray. The musical won eight Tony Awards out of 13 nominations and has played for over 2,000 performances on Broadway. It has also enjoyed U.S. national tours and numerous foreign productions and been adapted for a 2007 film.

Productions

After pre-Broadway tryouts at Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre, the musical transferred to Broadway beginning on August 15 2002 at the Neil Simon Theatre, where it is still running. The production's director is Jack O'Brien, and the choreographer is Jerry Mitchell. The original Broadway cast included Marissa Jaret Winokur as Tracy Turnblad and Harvey Fierstein as Tracy's mother Edna Turnblad.

The first Equity National tour started in September 2003 in Baltimore, Maryland, and ended in June 2006. The touring production starred Carly Jibson as Tracy and Bruce Vilanch as Edna. ^[1]

The first international production ran for 245 performances in Toronto in 2005 at the Princess of Wales Theatre. Vanessa Olivarez, a former American Idol contestant, starred as Tracy, and Jay Brazeau starred as Edna.^[2]

A Las Vegas production ran at the Luxor Hotel in 2006 starring Katrina Rose Dideriksen as Tracy, with Fierstein and Dick Latessa reprising their Tony Award-winning performances as Edna and Wilbur Turnblad, respectively.

The Broadway musical was adapted as a musical film in 2007 starring Nikki Blonsky as Tracy Turnblad and John Travolta as Edna Turnblad.

The London West End production opened at the Shaftesbury Theatre on October 11 2007 for previews before its official opening on October 30. Michael Ball plays Edna, with Mel Smith as Wilbur Turnblad, newcomer Leanne Jones as Tracy, Coronation Street actress Tracie Bennett as Velma von Tussle and Ben Ellis as Link Larkin. The original creative team of the Broadway production, helmed by director Jack O'Brien and choreographer Jerry Mitchell, reunited for the London production. ^[3]

Synopsis

In 1962 Baltimore, Maryland, plump teenager Tracy Turnblad's dream is to dance on the Corny Collins Show, a local TV dance program based on the real-life Buddy Deane Show. When Tracy wins a role on the show, she becomes a celebrity overnight. She then launches a campaign to racially integrate the Corny Collins Show. Council member Amber von Tussle and her mother, station manager Velma von Tussle, scheme to take Tracy off the show, but they fail.

Musical numbers

Act I

"Good Morning Baltimore" - Tracy and Company
"The Nicest Kids in Town" - Corny Collins, Amber, Link Larkin, Lou and Council Members
"Mama, I'm a Big Girl Now" - Edna, Tracy, Velma, Amber, Prudy, Penny, and female esemble
"I Can Hear the Bells" - Tracy
"(The Legend of) Miss Baltimore Crabs" - Velma, Amber, Link, and Council Members
"The Madison" - Corny and Company
"The Nicest Kids in Town (Reprise)" - Corny and Council Members
"It Takes Two" - Link and Tracy
"Welcome to the '60s" - Tracy, Edna, The Dynamites and Company
"Run and Tell That!" - Seaweed, Little Inez, and Detention Kids
"Big, Blonde, and Beautiful" - Motormouth, Little Inez, Tracy, Edna, Wilbur, and Company

Act II

"The Big Dollhouse"- Prison Matron, Edna, Velma, Tracy, Amber, Penny, Motormouth, Little Inez, Female Ensemble
"Good Morning Baltimore (Reprise)" - Tracy
"(You're) Timeless to Me" - Wilbur and Edna
"Without Love" - Link and Tracy, Seaweed and Penny
"I Know Where I've Been" - Motormouth with Nadine and Company
"(It's) Hairspray" - Corny and Council Members
"Cooties" - Amber and Council Members
"You Can't Stop the Beat" - Edna, Link, Motormouth Maybelle, Penny, Seaweed, Tracy and Wilbur

Principal characters and casts

Main article: Hairspray Cast Lists

Original Broadway cast

Tracy Turnblad - Marissa Jaret Winokur
"Corny" Collins - Clarke Thorell
Amber Von Tussle - Laura Bell Bundy
Link Larkin - Matthew Morrison
"Prudy" Pingleton - Jackie Hoffman
Edna Turnblad - Harvey Fierstein
Penny Pingleton - Kerry Butler
Velma Von Tussle - Linda Hart
Mr. Harriman F. Spritzer - Joel Vig
Wilbur Turnblad - Dick Latessa
Seaweed J. Stubbs - Corey Reynolds
The Dynamites: Kamilah Martin, Judine Richard, and Shayna Steele
Mr. Pinky - Joel Vig
Little Inez - Danelle Eugenia Wilson
"Motormouth" Maybelle - Mary Bond Davis

Notable replacements in the Broadway cast

Tracy: Kathy Brier, Shannon Durig
Corny Collins: Lance Bass
Amber: Haylie Duff, Ashley Spencer
Link: Ashley Parker Angel
Edna: Michael McKean, Bruce Vilanch, John Pinette, Paul Vogt, and George Wendt (starting October 2007)
Penny: Diana DeGarmo, Alexa Vega, Niki Scalera
Wilbur: Jere Burns, Jerry Mathers, and Jim J. Bullock
Seaweed: Tevin Campbell
Little Inez: Naturi Naughton
Motormouth Maybelle: Darlene Love
Velma Von Tussle: Michelle Pawk, Isabel Keating
Prudy Pingleton: Julie Halston

Original London cast

Tracy Turnblad - Leanne Jones
"Corny" Collins - Paul Manuel
Amber Von Tussle - Rachel Wooding
Link Larkin - Ben Ellis
Edna Turnblad - Michael Ball
Penny Pingleton - Elinor Collett
Velma Von Tussle - Tracie Bennett
Wilbur Turnblad - Mel Smith
Seaweed - Adrian Hansel
Little Inez - Natalie Best
"Motormouth" Maybelle - Johnnie Fiori

Awards and nominations

Tony Awards

WINNERS:

NOMINATED:

Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical (Corey Reynolds)
Tony Award for Best Scenic Design
Tony Award for Best Lighting Design
Tony Award for Best Choreography
Tony Award for Best Orchestration

Drama Desk Awards

WINNERS:

Outstanding New Musical
Outstanding Book of a Musical
Outstanding Actor in a Musical
Outstanding Actress in a Musical
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical (Dick Latessa)
Outstanding Director of a Musical
Outstanding Lyrics
Outstanding Music
Outstanding Costume Design

NOMINATED:

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical (Corey Reynolds)
Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical (Kerry Butler)
Outstanding Choreography
Outstanding Orchestrations
Outstanding Set Design of a Musical

Theatre World Award
Jackie Hoffman (winner)
Marissa Jaret Winokur (winner)

Reference

^ http://www.playbill.com/news/article/80797.html playbill article, July 22, 2003
^ Information about the 2005 Toronto production
^ Hairspray Begins London Run Oct. 11, playbill article, 10/11/07

External links

Awards
Preceded by Thoroughly Modern Millie	Tony Award for Best Musical 2003	Succeeded by Avenue Q
Preceded by Urinetown by Mark Hollman and Greg Kotis	Tony Award for Best Original Score 2003 by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman	Succeeded by Avenue Q by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx
Preceded by Urinetown by Greg Kotis	Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical 2003 by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan	Succeeded by Avenue Q by Jeff Whitty

[1] ttp://www.playbill.com/news/article/80797.html playbill article, July 22, 2003

[2] Information about the 2005 Toronto production

[3] Hairspray Begins London Run Oct. 11, playbill article, 10/11/07

[1]

[2]

[3]

v t e Tony Award for Best Musical
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