Hairspray is an American musical with music by Marc Shaiman and lyrics by Shaiman and Scott Wittman, with 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. Set in 1962 Baltimore, Maryland, the production follows teenage Tracy Turnblad's dream 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, leading to social change as Tracy campaigns for the show's integration.
The musical opened in Seattle in 2002 and moved to Broadway later that year. In 2003, Hairspray 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.
Background According to interviews included as an extra feature on the 2007 film's DVD release, theater producer Margo Lion first conceived of Hairspray as a stage musical in 1998 after seeing the original film on television. "I was home looking at a lot of movies, and one of those movies was Hairspray." She contacted John Waters, who gave her his blessing, then acquired the rights from New Line Cinema. Lion contacted Marc Shaiman, who expressed interest in the project only if his partner, Scott Wittman, could participate, and Lion agreed. The two enlisted the help of actress and singer Annie Golden to produce a demo recording containing three songs, one of which, "Good Morning Baltimore", became the show's opening number. Based on their initial work, Lion was confident that she had hired the right team.Pogrebin, Robin. "Riding High With a Big, Bouffant Hit; After 25 Years of Paying Dues, an Independent Producer Scores With 'Hairspray'". The New York Times, October 16, 2002
Lion contacted Rob Marshall about directing the musical. At the time he was involved in negotiations to direct the screen adaptation of Chicago, but he agreed to become involved in the early development stages of Hairspray with the stipulation he would drop out if assigned the film. Marshall remembered Marissa Jaret Winokur from her brief appearance in the film American Beauty and arranged a meeting with Shaiman and Wittman. The two immediately felt she was right to play Tracy Turnblad but hesitated to commit without seeing any other auditions. They hired Winokur to work with them on the project with the understanding she might be replaced later. A year later, Winokur was diagnosed with cervical cancer. Certain she would lose the role if the creative team learned about her condition, she underwent a hysterectomy, telling only her immediate family. The treatment and surgery succeeded, and Winokur returned to the project.undated interview thehpvtest.com Meanwhile, Marshall began work on Chicago, and Lion hired Jack O'Brien and Jerry Mitchell to direct and to choreograph, respectively. Winokur was one of the first to audition for the role of Tracy and spent two years preparing with voice and dance lessons."Marissa Jaret Winokur"Encyclopedia of World Biography, accessed February 8, 2010 Divine portrayed Tracy's mother, Edna Turnblad, in the original film, and Shaiman liked the idea of maintaining the tradition of casting a man as Edna. Harvey Fierstein auditioned for the role with a "half-hour vocal audition". He thought they were "pacifying" him, but was told, "They don't want anyone but you".Limsky, Drew. "Everything's Coming Up 'Hairspray'". The Advocate, July 23, 2002
According to Shaiman, one song, "I Know Where I've Been", became controversial during the genesis of the score:
This was ... inspired by a scene late in the movie that takes place on the black side of town. It never dawned on us that a torrent of protest would follow us from almost everyone involved with the show. "It's too sad. ... It's too preachy. ... It doesn't belong. ... Tracy should sing the eleven o'clock number." We simply didn't want our show to be yet another showbiz version of a civil rights story where the black characters are just background. And what could be more Tracy Turnblad-like than to give the "eleven o'clock number" to the black family at the heart of the struggle? Luckily ... the audiences embraced this moment, which enriches the happy ending to follow, and it is our proudest achievement of the entire experience of writing Hairspray.The Roots, p. 142
Productions 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 show's many distinctive wigs by Paul Huntley. The performances were conducted by Lon Hoyt, with approximately 15 musicians. The original Broadway cast included Marissa Jaret Winokur and Harvey Fierstein as Tracy and Edna, respectively, 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 London production The West End production opened at the Shaftesbury Theatre on October 11, 2007, for previews before its official opening on October 30. Michael Ball played Edna, with Mel Smith as Wilbur Turnblad, Leanne Jones as Tracy, Tracie Bennett as Velma, Paul Manuel as Corny Collins, Rachael Wooding as Amber, Elinor Collett as Penny, and Ben James-Ellis as Link. The original creative team of the Broadway production, with the director Jack O'Brien and choreographer Jerry Mitchell, reunited for the London production. The show garnered a record-setting 11 Olivier Award nominations and won Best New Musical, as well as Best Actress and Actor in a musical (Jones and Ball)."Olivier Winners 2008" . Oivierawards.com, accessed August 22, 2011 The production closed on March 28, 2010, after nearly two and a half years and over 1,000 performances.
2021 London revival The production was due to return to the West End at the London Coliseum for a limited 18-week season from 23 April to 29 August 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic caused all public theatres to close indefinitely in mid-March. The production was initially delayed to 1 September to 8 November, and then delayed again to 21 June to 29 September 2021.
Michael Ball reprised his Olivier Award-winning role as Edna, reuniting him with director Jack O'Brien and choreographer Jerry Mitchell. Full casting includes Lizzie Bea as Tracy, Marisha Wallace as Motormouth Maybelle, Les Dennis as Wilbur Turnblad, Rita Simons as Velma Von Tussle, Jonny Amies as Link Larkin, and Mari McGinlay as Penny Pingleton. Paul Merton was originally set to make his West End debut as Wilbur but after several delays he was unable to join the company and was replaced by Dennis.
2010 Australian production An Australian production of Hairspray opened in Melbourne at the Princess Theatre on October 2, 2010, to critical acclaim."'Hairspray Reviews" . Hairspraythemusical.com, accessed August 22, 2011 It was directed by David Atkins and choreographed by So You Think You Can Dance Australia judge Jason Coleman.Field, Katherine. "'Hairspray' comes to Australia" . News.ninemsn.com.au, March 5, 2010 The show moved to Sydney on 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. Atkins redesigned the production using new technology.Cashmere, Paul. . Undercover.fm, October 4, 2010 The set used enormous LED screens that moved around the stage in various combinations as the characters interacted with animated landscapes generated across the screens.Graham, Lucy. "'Hairspray': A “Brand New Do” in Music Theatre Technology". Stagewhispers.com.au, 2010, accessed August 22, 2011 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.
2022 Australian Broadway revival A revival of the original Broadway production opened at Melbourne's Regent Theatre in August 2022, 20 years after the original production opened on Broadway. The original direction and choreography (by Jack O'Brien and Jerry Mitchell, respectively), was recreated by director Matt Lenz and choreographer Dominic Shaw. The cast included Carmel Rodrigues as Tracy, Shane Jacobson as Edna, Rhonda Burchmore as Velma, Todd McKenney as Wilbur, Rob Mills as Corny Collins, Sean Johnston as Link and Asabi Goodman as Motormouth Maybelle. The production moved on to Adelaide's Festival Centre in December 2022 where the role of Corny Collins was taken over by Irish born Australian, Bobby Fox. The Adelaide production closed on 29 January 2023. The production then continued to Sydney's Lyric Theatre where it opened on 9 February 2023 and closed on 2 April 2023.
Tours The first U.S. national tour started in September 2003 in Baltimore and ended in June 2006.broadwayworld.com "'Hairspray' National Tour, 2003" broadwayworld.com, accessed August 22, 2011 It starred Carly Jibson as Tracy, Bruce Vilanch as Edna, Terron Brooks as Seaweed, Sandra DeNise as Penny, Susan Cella as Velma, and Ramona Cole (soon replaced by Charlotte Crossley) as Motormouth Maybelle. When the tour came to Los Angeles, Winokur reprised her role as Tracy, together with the original Broadway Link, Matthew Morrison. The same creative team of O'Brien and Mitchell was at the helm. Lon Hoyt served as music supervisor. Jim Vukovich served as music director for the entire 33 months on the road.Kuryak, Timothy."Hairspray Teases LA" broadwayworld.com, August 1, 2004
In July 2006, a non-Equity U.S. and Asian tour opened in Atlantic City's Harrah's Casino.Roura, Phillip. "'Hairspray' Brushes Up For A.C." New York Post, May 26, 2006 The shorter "casino version" was used for a six-week run, but when the tour moved on,"Show History" mtishows.com, retrieved December 22, 2017 it continued with the full version minus the character of Lorraine. The production starred Brooklynn Pulver as Tracy, Jerry O'Boyle as Edna, Dan Ferretti as Wilbur, Constantine Rousouli as Link, Christian Dante White as Seaweed, Alyssa Malgeri as Penny, Jarret Mallon as Corny, Happy McPartlin as Velma, Pearl Thomas as Amber, and Yvette Clark as Motormouth Maybelle.Rendell, Bob. "Regional Review. Good Morning, Newark, 'Hairspray' Is Here For a Visit" talkinbroadway.com, January 31, 2007 The tour played sit-down engagements in Tokyo, Shanghai and Beijing. It gave its final performance on April 25, 2010, at the Fox Performing Arts Center in Riverside, California.