Above: Broadway promotional poster
Hairspray (musical)
Music Marc Shaiman
Lyrics Scott Wittman
Marc Shaiman
Book Mark O’Donnell
Thomas Meehan
Basis Hairspray
by John Waters
Hairspray is an American musical with music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Scott Wittman and Shaiman and a book by Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan, based on John Waters’s 1988 film of the same name. The songs include 1960s-style dance music and “downtown” rhythm and blues. 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, and meets a colorful group of characters, leading to social change as Tracy campaigns for the show’s integration.
In 2003 it won eight Tony Awards, including one for Best Musical, out of 13 nominations. It ran for 2,642 performances, and closed on January 4, 2009. Hairspray has also had national tours, a West End production, and numerous foreign productions and was adapted as a 2007 musical film. The London production was nominated for a record-setting eleven Laurence Olivier Awards, winning four including Best New Musical.
The civil rights story line is a very important aspect of the musical. This story line and the show is empowering for African Americans as it brings the audience’s attention to their stories and the true events that were occurring in the 1960’s, and doesn’t shy away from exploring and exposing them to audiences all over the world. For example, the Corny Collins Show aspect of the musical, is based on a real show in 1960’s Baltimore called The Buddy Deane Show. Therefore, viewer’s can see the real socio-cultural issues that were occurring in America during this time such as segregation, and events surrounding the Buddy Deane Show, which otherwise may have been forgotten.
Original Broadway production
After a successful tryout at Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theatre, Hairspray opened on Broadway at the Neil Simon Theatre on August 15, 2002. Jack O’Brien directed the production, which Jerry Mitchell choreographed, with set design by David Rockwell, costume design by William Ivey Long, lighting design by Kenneth Posner, sound design by Steve C. Kennedy, and the many distinctive wigs in the show by Paul Huntley. The original Broadway cast included Marissa Jaret Winokur and Harvey Fierstein in the lead roles of Tracy and Edna respectively. The cast also featured Matthew Morrison as Link, Laura Bell Bundy as Amber, Kerry Butler as Penny, Linda Hart as Velma, Mary Bond Davis as Motormouth Maybelle, Corey Reynolds as Seaweed, Jackie Hoffman as Matron, Dick Latessa as Wilbur, and Clarke Thorell as Corny Collins. Kamilah Marshall, Shayna Steele, and Judine Richard played the Dynamites.
Hairspray received Tony Award nominations in 13 categories, winning eight, including for best musical, book, score and direction. Winokur, Fierstein and Latessa received awards for their performances. The production ran for more than six years, closing on January 4, 2009 after 2,642 performances. Thorell returned to the cast for the final ten months. Fierstein and Winokur returned to the cast for the final performances.
Original Australian production
An Australian production of Hairspray opened in Melbourne at the Princess Theatre on October 2, 2010 to critical acclaim. It was directed by David Atkins and choreographed by So You Think You Can Dance Australia judge Jason Coleman. The show moved to Sydney from June 23, 2011. The cast included Jaz Flowers as Tracy, Trevor Ashley as Edna, Jack Chambers as Link, and Tevin Campbell reprising his role from the Broadway production as Seaweed J. Stubbs. Atkins redesigned the production using new technologies. The set used enormous LED screens, which moved around the stage in various combinations, as the characters interacted with animated landscapes generated across the screens. The musical opened at Sydney’s Lyric Theatre at The Star Casino on 11 June 2011 and closed on 25 September 2011, two weeks earlier than anticipated, ending its Australian run.
Characters
Principal roles and casts of major productions of stage productions of Hairspray
Character Description Original Broadway Actor/Actress Notable Broadway Replacements 2007 Film Adaptation 2011 Hollywood Bowl Original West End Actor/Actress Notable West End Replacements Original Australian Actor/Actress Original Danish Cast 2016 Live Television Adaptation
Tracy Turnblad The female lead of Hairspray. A “pleasantly plump” teenager, who dreams of fame and fights to racially integrate The Corny Collins Show. Marissa Jaret Winokur Kathy Brier
Carly Jibson
Shannon Durig
Marissa Perry Nikki Blonsky Marissa Jaret Winokur Leanne Jones Chloe Hart Jaz Flowers
Kirby Lunn Nanna Rossen Maddie Baillio
Edna Turnblad Tracy’s kind, plus-sized mother – a drag role. Edna runs a laundry business out of her home. Harvey Fierstein Michael McKean
Bruce Vilanch
John Pinette
Blake Hammond
Paul Vogt
George Wendt John Travolta Harvey Fierstein Michael Ball Brian Conley
Phill Jupitus Trevor Ashley Martin Brygmann Harvey Fierstein
Velma Von Tussle The villainess of Hairspray. Amber’s scheming mother and producer of The Corny Collins Show, who pushes her daughter to seek the stardom that she never had. Linda Hart
Leah Hocking Liz Larsen
Barbara Walsh
Isabel Keating
Michele Pawk
Mary Birdsong
Karen Mason Michelle Pfeiffer Susan Anton Tracie Bennett Liz Robertson
Belinda Carlisle
Siobhán McCarthy Marney McQueen Lene Nystrøm Kristin Chenoweth
Penny Pingleton Tracy’s slightly dorky, devoted and perky best friend. Kerry Butler Jennifer Gambatese
Tracy Miller
Diana DeGarmo
Caissie Levy
Alexa Vega
Amanda Bynes Diana DeGarmo Elinor Collett Verity Rushworth Esther Hannaford Karin Nordly-Holst Ariana Grande
Motormouth Maybelle The sassy, strong-willed and friendly owner of a downtown record shop and the host of “Negro Day” on The Corny Collins Show, self-described as “big, blonde and beautiful”. Mary Bond Davis Darlene Love
Jenifer Lewis
Charlotte Crossley Queen Latifah Darlene Love Johnnie Fiori Sandra Marvin
Sharon D Clarke Cle Morgan Caroline Henderson Jennifer Hudson
Amber Von Tussle Bratty, selfish resident princess of The Corny Collins Show, despite her lack of talent. She is willing to do anything to win the Miss Teenage Hairspray pageant. Laura Bell Bundy Becky Gulsvig
Jordan Ballard
Haylie Duff
Tara Macri
Ashley Spencer
Aubrey O’Day
Brynn O’Malley
Brittany Snow Tara Macri Rachael Wooding Zoe Rainey
Nicola Brazil Renee Armstrong Julie Zangenberg Dove Cameron
Link Larkin A teenage heartthrob and one of The Corny Collins Show Council Members, who unexpectedly falls in love with Tracy. Matthew Morrison Richard H. Blake
Andrew Rannells
Ashley Parker Angel
Aaron Tveit
Zac Efron Nick Jonas Ben James-Ellis Liam Tamne Jack Chambers Johannes Nymark Garrett Clayton
Seaweed J. Stubbs A hip and kind-hearted “Negro Day” dancer and the son of Motormouth Maybelle who falls in love with Penny. Corey Reynolds Chester Gregory II
Tevin Campbell Elijah Kelley Corbin Bleu Adrian Hansel Tevin Campbell Jean Michel Ephraim Sykes
Wilbur Turnblad Tracy’s goofy, loving and encouraging father, who owns the Har-De-Har Hut joke shop and is still madly in love with his wife, Edna. He encourages Tracy to follow her dreams. Dick Latessa Jere Burns
Jerry Mathers
Jim J. Bullock
Stephen DeRosa Christopher Walken Drew Carey Mel Smith Ian Talbot
Nigel Planer
Micky Dolenz Grant Piro Jesper Lohmann Martin Short
Corny Collins The glib, polished host of The Corny Collins Show, with one eye on social progress and another on his hair. Clarke Thorell Lance Bass
Jonathan Dokuchitz
James Marsden John Stamos Paul Manuel Gavin Alex Scott Irwin Silas Holst Derek Hough
Little Inez Seaweed’s talented younger sister. Danielle Eugenia Wilson Naturi Naughton Taylor Parks Chyka Jackson Natalie Best Raquel Jones Nancy Denis Maimona Bruun Ndiaye Shahadi Wright Joseph
Female Authority Figure Prudy Pingleton, Penny’s overprotective and bigoted mother, and The Matron guarding The Big Dollhouse; the Gym Teacher. Jackie Hoffman Julie Halston
Susan Mosher Allison Janney Mo Gaffney Wendy Somerville Jacqui Rae Rosie O’Donnell (Gym Teacher)
Andrea Martin (Prudy)
Male Authority Figure Mr. Pinky, owner of Mr. Pinky’s Hefty Hideaway who gives Tracy and Edna a makeover; Principal of Patterson Park High School; and Mr. Harriman F. Spritzer, the President of Ultra Clutch Joel Vig
Blake Hammond
Jim J. Bullock
Kevin Meaney Jerry Stiller
Paul Dooley Michael McDonald Dermot Canavan Sean Hayes (Mr Pinky)
Paul Vogt (Mr. Spritzer)
Musical numbers
Main article: Hairspray (2002 album)
Act I
“Good Morning Baltimore” – Tracy and Ensemble
“The Nicest Kids in Town” – Corny and Council Members
“Mama, I’m a Big Girl Now” – Edna, Tracy, Prudy, Penny, Velma, Amber, and Female Ensemble
“I Can Hear the Bells” – Tracy and Council Members
“(The Legend of) Miss Baltimore Crabs” – Velma and Council Members with Tracy, Penny, and Little Inez
“The Madison”† – Council Members
“The Nicest Kids in Town (Reprise)”† – Corny, Council Members
“It Takes Two” – Link, Tracy, and Council Guys
“Velma’s Revenge”† – Velma
“Welcome to the 60’s” – Tracy, Edna, The Dynamites, Mr. Pinky, and Ensemble
“Run and Tell That!” – Seaweed, Little Inez, and Motormouth Kids
“Big, Blonde and Beautiful” – Motormouth, Little Inez, Tracy, Edna, Wilbur, and Company
Act II
“The Big Dollhouse” – Matron, Edna, Velma, Tracy, Amber, Penny, Motormouth, Little Inez, and Female Ensemble
“Good Morning Baltimore (Reprise)” – Tracy
“You’re Timeless to Me” – Edna and Wilbur
“You’re Timeless to Me (Reprise)”† – Edna and Wilbur
“Without Love” – Tracy, Link, Penny, Seaweed, and Ensemble
“I Know Where I’ve Been” – Motormouth and Ensemble
“(It’s) Hairspray” – Corny and Council Members
“Cooties” – Amber and Council Members
“You Can’t Stop the Beat” – Tracy, Link, Penny, Seaweed, Edna, Wilbur, Motormouth, Velma, Amber and Company
†Not on the cast recording.
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