The hit musical Hairspray is set to embark on a new UK tour following the production’s 2015 and 2016 run, exciting news for musical theatre fans all over the UK. The musical had its original West End premiere in 2007 at the Shaftesbury Theatre, before winning four Olivier Awards including for Best New Musical. With a production on Broadway and a consequent national UK tour, the production is set to impress with its feel-good factor and big hits.
The production for the new UK tour is directed by Paul Kerryson and has choreography by Drew McOnie. McOnie’s hit choreography is well-known both in the capital and all over the country, with recent work including the regional Strictly Ballroom in Yorkshire, and Jekyll & Hyde in London. With casting for the UK tour still to be announced, it looks like it will be received with excitement again.
Hairspray will run at the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff from 16 to 26 August before touring the UK. The new tour will then visit theatres in Dartford, Dublin, Birmingham, Leicester, Belfast, Plymouth and many more. The show tells the story of a young girl named Tracy Turnblad, who is on a mission to dance her way onto national TV. With a few bumps in the road and some young love too, the 1960s backdrop to the tale highlights the historical issues of race of the era. However, dance prevails and The Corny Collins TV Show is Tracy’s platform to make a stand.
Marc Shaiman, Scott Wittman, Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan’s musical Hairspray is an adaptation of the original film by John Waters, which starred Ricki Lake and Divine. The remake of the original film featured a star-studded cast including Zac Efron and John Travolta.