Initial casting has been announced for the 2024-2025 U.K. and Ireland tour of Hairspray, which is set to open July 16 at Manchester's Palace Theatre and continue touring through April 2025.
Brenda Edwards, who previously played Motormouth Maybelle in three productions of Hairspray directed by Paul Kerryson, will co-direct the tour with Kerryson. Olivier winner Drew McOnie choreographs.
The cast will be led by Neil Hurst as Edna Turnblad, Joanne Clifton as Velma Von Tussle (Gina Murray will be Velma July 16-September 7), Michelle Ndegwa as Motormouth Maybelle, Soloman Davy as Link Larkin, Declan Egan as Corny Collins, Alexandra Emmerson-Kirby as Tracy Turnblad, Katlo as Little Inez, Reece Richards as Seaweed, and Allana Taylor as Amber Von Tussle with ensemble members Ben Anderson, Grace Anyiam, Nina Bell, Joseph Bristow, Vanessa Dumatey, Rebecca French, Stuart Hickey, Jaiden Lodge, Olly Manley, Sasha Monique, Jacob Smith, and Issy Wilman. Additional casting will be announced soon.
The production will also have musical supervision and arrangements by Ben Atkinson, set and costume design by Takis, lighting design by Philip Gladwell, sound design by Ben Harrison, video design by George Reeves, musical direction and supervision by Richard Atkinson, projection design by George Reeve, casting by Grindrod Burton, and resident direction by Juliet Gough.
Based on the 1998 John Waters film of the same name, Hairspray has music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Scott Wittman and Shaiman, and a book by Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan. The musical follows Tracy Turnblad, who has big hair, a big heart, and big dreams to dance her way onto national TV.
Hairspray opened on Broadway in 2002 and subsequently won eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical. The musical opened in London at the Shaftesbury Theatre in 2007 and won four Olivier Awards, including Best New Musical. Hairspray has also played in South Africa, Japan, South Korea, China, and Dubai. A film adaptation of the musical was released in 2007 starring John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer, and James Marsden.
Hairspray is produced by Mark Goucher, Matthew Gale, and Laurence Myers.
Click here for the current touring itinerary.
