| Hairspray | |
 |
|
| Window card for the original production | |
|---|---|
| Music | Marc Shaiman |
| Lyrics | Scott Wittman Marc Shaiman |
| Book | Mark O'Donnell Thomas Meehan |
| Based upon | 1988 film Hairspray |
| Productions | 2002 Broadway 2005 Toronto 2006 Las Vegas 2005 Toronto 2006 Helsinki 2007 Tokyo 2007 West End 2007 Johannesburg 2007 Seoul 2007 Milan 2008 São Paulo 2008 Zürich |
| 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 thirteen 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 musical film.
Contents |
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] Other productions have opened around the world, in Canada, Finland, South Africa, Japan, South Korea, Italy, and will open in Switzerland and Brazil in 2008. It has been translated in to six languages: Finnish, Japanese, Korean, Italian, German, and Portuguese.
Plot
It's 1962 Baltimore - the '50s are out and change is in the air. Tracy Turnblad, a big girl with big hair and an even bigger heart, has only one passion--to dance. She wins a spot on the local TV dance program, "The Corny Collins Show" and, overnight, is transformed from outsider to irrepressible teen celebrity. But can a trendsetter in dance and fashion vanquish the program's reigning princess Amber von Tussle, win the heart of heartthrob Link Larkin, and integrate a television show without denting her 'do? The musical features an original score by Marc Shaiman (who co-wrote the music and lyrics for the acclaimed animated musical, South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut) and Scott Wittman. Their songs take Tracy from the sound stage of a 60's-style dance show to the streets of Baltimore to a downtown rhythm and blues record shop.
Musical numbers
|
|
Principal characters and casts
Broadway cast
|
|
Original London cast
- Tracy Turnblad - Leanne Jones
- "Corny" Collins - Paul Manuel
- Amber Von Tussle - Rachel Wooding
- Link Larkin - Ben James-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
- WINNERS
- Tony Award for Best Musical
- Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical
- Tony Award for Best Original Score (Music & Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
- Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical (Harvey Fierstein)
- Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical (Marissa Jaret Winokur)
- Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical (Dick Latessa)
- Tony Award for Best Costume Design (William Ivey Long)
- Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical (Jack O'Brien)
- 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
- 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)
References
External links
- Official site
- Hairspray at The Internet Broadway Database
- Production: Hairspray Working in the Theatre seminar video at American Theatre Wing, December 2002
- Hairspray Audition Advice & Show Information from MusicalTheatreAudition.com
- Extensive plot synopsis and links to song lyrics
- South African Production Website
- South Korea Production Website
| 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 |
|
|
|---|
|
1990: City of Angels • 1991: The Will Rogers Follies • 1992: Crazy for You • 1993: Kiss of the Spider Woman • 1994: Passion • 1995: Sunset Boulevard • 1996: Rent • 1997: Titanic • 1998: The Lion King • 1999: Fosse • 2000: Contact • 2001: The Producers • 2002: Thoroughly Modern Millie • 2003: Hairspray • 2004: Avenue Q • 2005: Monty Python's Spamalot • 2006: Jersey Boys • 2007: Spring Awakening |
