NEW CAST ANNOUNCED FOR UK TOUR OF HAIRSPRAY * Fairy Powered Productions

HAIRSPRAY THE MUSICAL

UK TOUR

Directed by Paul Kerryson

Choreographed by Drew McOnie

NEW CAST ANNOUNCED FOR UK TOUR OF HAIRSPRAY

GRAND OPERA HOUSE YORK

Monday 16 – Saturday 21 July

New casting has today been announced for the UK Tour of Hairspray as it continues to travel the length and breadth of the UK and Ireland. Having entertained big, bold and beautiful audiences across the country to critical and public acclaim since opening last summer, Hairspray will travel to Llandudno, Canterbury, Southend, Wycombe Swan, Cheltenham, Stoke, Oxford, Newcastle, Eastbourne, Dublin, York, Swansea and Bournemouth.

Joining the cast will be Raquel Jones (The Bodyguard, Jesus Christ Superstar) who will be returning to the role of Lil’ Inez having played the part for two years during the West End run of the production at Shaftsbury Theatre. Shak Gabbidon-Williams will be making his professional debut as Seaweed and Dan Partridge (Mama Mia!, Sleeping Beauty) takes over the role of Link Larkin from Edward Chitticks.

Established musical theatre performer Graham MacDuff will now play the role of Wilbur Turnblad alongside Gemma Lawson as Amber Von Tussle and Rosie O’Hare now in the leading role of Tracy Turnblad.

Brenda Edwards will continue in the role of Motormouth Maybelle alongside Jon Tsouras (A Chorus Line) as Corny Collins. Matt Rixon (The Ladykillers, Around the World in 80 Days) as Edna Turnblad, Gina Murray (Chicago and Full Monty) as Velma Von Tussle, Annalise Liard-Bailey as Penny Pingleton.

Further cast includes: Adam Price, Lucinda Lawrence, Marion Fagbemi, Brianna Ogunbawo, Amana Jones, Emma Warren, Kirsty Ingram, Courtney Brogan Smalley, Ross Clifton, Ben Darcy, Brian O’Muiri, Ziggy Tyler Taylor, Abz Kareem, Reece Richards, Shay Barclay, Abiola Efunshile and Lindsay McAllister.

Full dates and tickets are available at www.hairsprayuktour.com/tour-dates.

Featuring the iconic music and lyrics by Academy Award, Tony and Emmy winning duo Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, this much-loved musical comedy currently stars ITV comedy legend Norman Pace as Wilbur Turnblad, Brenda Edwards as Motormouth Maybelle and Layton Williams as Seaweed. Matt Rixon returns to the role of Edna Turnblad and newcomer Rebecca Mendoza makes her professional debut as Tracy Turnblad.

Choreographed by Olivier Award-winning Drew McOnie with direction from Paul Kerryson.

It’s Baltimore 1962, where Tracy Turnblad, a big girl with big hair and an even bigger heart, is on a mission to follow her dreams and dance her way onto national TV. Tracy’s audition makes her a local star and soon she is using her new-found fame to fight for equality, bagging local heartthrob Link Larkin along the way.

Hairspray is a musical based on the 1988 film of the same name which starred Divine and Ricki Lake by cult filmmaker John Waters. With music and lyrics by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman and book by Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan, Hairspray originally opened to rave reviews on Broadway in 2002 and subsequently won eight Tony Awards. The production opened in London at the Shaftesbury Theatre in 2007 and won four Laurence Olivier Awards including Best New Musical. Proving to be an international success, Hairspray has also opened in South Africa, Japan, South Korea, China and Dubai. Following the musical’s phenomenal success on stage, a film of the musical was released in 2007 which starred John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer and James Marsden.

LISTINGS

18-23 June 2018

Oxford New Theatre

Box Office: 0844 871 3020

http://www.atgtickets.com/venues/new-theatre-oxford

25-30 June 2018

Newcastle Theatre Royal

Box Office: 08448 11 21 21

https://www.theatreroyal.co.uk/whats-on

2 – 7 July 2018

Eastbourne Devonshire Theatre

Box Office: 01323 412 000