Michael Ball will once again be donning a fancy frock and a large wig to return to his Olivier Award-winning role as Edna Turnblad when Hairspray the Musical returns to London next year for a strictly limited season at the London Coliseum.
Featuring the original award-winning creative team of director Jack O’Brien and choreographer Jerry Mitchell, Ball’s return visit to the flamboyant character which delivered his first Olivier Award will begin on 23 April 2020.
Commenting on the news on his Twitter feed, Ball said: “Finally, I can tell you the news…SHE’S BACK!! And I’m so bloody excited! For 12 weeks only, the magnificent Edna Turnblad will be shaking up the West End in @HairsprayLondon. I can’t wait to get back into the fabulous frocks, big hair and the 54 triple E’s!’.”
Tickets are now on sale for the production and the search for the new Tracy Turnblad has already begun. Further cast and creative details will be released at a later date.
Based on the 1988 film of the same name which starred Divine and Ricki Lake by cult filmmaker John Waters, the crowd-pleasing musical boasts music and lyrics by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman and book by Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan.
With Harvey Fierstein starring as Edna, Hairspray debuted to rave reviews on Broadway in 2002 and subsequently won eight Tony Awards including Best Musical and the leading actor award for Fierstein.
Premiering in London at the Shaftesbury Theatre in 2007, the show won four Laurence Olivier Awards including Best New Musical and the Best Actor Award for Ball.
The production ran for two and a half years, closing in March 2010, but the beat carried on with the show hitting the road for a tour featuring Ball, alternating with Brian Conley and Michael Starke.
A new production featuring direction by Paul Kerryson and choreography by Drew McOnie launched at Leicester Curve in 2015, and returned in 2017 for a successful tour that ended last August.
Produced by Mark Goucher, the tour will begin again in September 2020.
Angela Thomas
Tickets for Hairspray are available HERE.
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