The North American tour of Hairspray, which resumed
performances in September 2022, has announced casting and its touring schedule for 2023-2024.
The non-Equity production, which uses Jack O'Brien's original direction and Jerry Mitchell's choreography, will visit 45 cities, including premiere engagements in Calgary, Alberta; Charlotte, North Carolina; Cleveland, Ohio; Dallas, Texas; Denver, Colorado; Edmonton, Alberta; Houston, Texas; Nashville, Tennessee; Ottawa, Ontario; and Vancouver, British Columbia; as well as return engagements in Boston, Massachusetts; San Antonio, Texas; and St. Louis, Missouri.
The cast will be led by Greg Kalafatas as Edna Turnblad, Caroline Eiseman as Tracy Turnblad, and Deidre Lang as Motormouth Maybelle.
The three will be joined by Josiah Rogers as Seaweed J. Stubbs, Skyler Shields as Link Larkin, Ralph Prentice Daniel as Wilbur Turnblad, Andrew Scoggin as Corny Collins, Caroline Portner as Amber Von Tussle, Sarah Hayes as Velma Von Tussle, Scarlett Jacques as Penny Pingleton, Kaila Symone Crowder as Little Inez, Micah Sauvageau as the Male Authority Figure, and Emmanuelle Zeesman as the Female Authority Figure.
The ensemble consists of Abigail Bensman, Connor
Buonaccorsi, Ashia Collins, Joshua James Crawford, Scoob Decker, Craig
First, Audrey Taylor Floyd, Gavin Guthrie, Alyssa Jacqueline, Leiah
Lewis, Christy Oberndorf, Kynnedi Moryaé Porter, Caroline Purdy, Kalab
Quinn, Josiah Thomas Randolph, Amy Rodriguez, Sage, Scott Silagy, Cara
Torchia, Lilliannie Arie Urgent, and James Douglas Vinson.
“It’s a brand-new world we find ourselves in today, and Hairspray is even more relevant than 20 years ago when it first burst onto the scene. With a whole new generation of wildly talented kids across the board, we cannot wait to raise the various roofs once more with dance, joy, music, and that glorious, famous, energy-packed score!” says director O’Brien.
Choreographer Mitchell adds, “Hairspray has always been about all of us dancing together! I am thrilled to welcome this new company of amazing #FULLOUT talents to lead the way as we dance across America with a message of inclusion and hope because ‘You really Can’t Stop the Beat!’”
Based on the New Line Cinema film written and directed by John Waters, Hairspray features a book by Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan and an original score by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman.
This production also has tour direction by Matt Lenz, tour choreography by Robbie Roby, set design by David Rockwell, lighting design by Kenneth Posner, tour lighting design by Paul Miller, costume design by William Ivey Long, hair and wig design by Paul Huntley, Richard Mawbey, and Bernie Ardia, sound design by Shannon Slaton, music supervision by Keith Thompson, and casting by Prather Productions.
Hairspray premiered at Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theater in June 2002. The Broadway production won eight 2003 Tony Awards, including Best Musical.
The tour is produced by Hairspray on Tour LLC.
For the current itinerary, click here.