Marissa Perry played Tracy Turnblad in one of the first regional theatre productions of Hairspray at the Weston Playhouse in Vermont. Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman (songwriters) saw her performance at the playhouse and encouraged her to audition for the Broadway production where she was immediately offered the understudy role of Tracy. She took over the role on Broadway on April 15th 2008.
Constantine Rousouli is making his Broadway debut as Link Larkin in Hairspray. He recently played the role for two years in the National Tour.
In Hairspray it's 1962-the '50s are out and change is in the air. Baltimore's Tracy Turnblad, a big girl with big hair and an even bigger heart, has only one passion-to dance. She wins a spot on the local TV dance program, "The Corny Collins Show" and, overnight, is transformed from outsider to irrepressible teen celebrity. But can a plus-size trendsetter in dance and fashion vanquish the program's reigning princess, win the heart of heartthrob Link Larkin, and integrate a television show without denting her 'do? Only in Hairspray! Welcome to the '60s!
Hairspray is based on the New Line Cinema film written and directed by John Waters, who serves as a creative consultant on the musical comedy. It features a book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan, and a score by five-time Academy Award nominee Marc Shaiman (who co-wrote the music and lyrics for the acclaimed animated musical, South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut) and lyrics by Shaiman and Scott Wittman. Hairspray is directed by Jack O'Brienand choreographed by Jerry Mitchell; scenic design is by David Rockwell; costume design is by William Ivey Long; lighting design is by Kenneth Posner; and sound design is by Steve C. Kennedy.
The show, which celebrated its sixth anniversary on Broadway in August 2008, is the winner of eight 2003 Tony Awards, including best musical, best actor (Harvey Fierstein), best actress (Marissa Jaret Winokur), best featured actor (Dick Latessa), best score (Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman), best book (Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan), best director (Jack O'Brien), and best costume design (William Ivey Long). Hairspray also swept every one of the year's best musical awards, winning, in addition to the Tony, the New York Drama Critics Circle Award, the Drama Desk Award, the Outer Critics Circle Award, and the Drama League Award.
In addition to Perry and Rousouli, Hairspray currently features George Wendt as Edna Turnblad, Karen Mason as Velma Von Tussle, Tevin Campbell as Seaweed J. Stubbs, Ken Marks as Wilbur Turnblad, Kevin Meaney as Male Authority Figure, Susan Mosher as Female Authority Figure, Naturi Naughton as Inez, Niki Scalera as Penny Pingleton, and Clarke Thorell as Corny Collins.
Hairspray is produced by Margo Lion; Adam Epstein; The Baruch×Viertel×Routh×Frankel Group; James D. Stern/Douglas L. Meyer; Rick Steiner/Frederic H. Mayerson; SEL & GFO; New Line Cinema, in association withLive Nation; A. Gordon/E. McAllister; D. Harris/M. Swinsky; J. & B. Osher.
The show plays Tuesday and Thursday at 7pm; Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday at 8pm; Wednesday and Saturday at 2pm; Sunday at 3pm, at Broadway's Neil Simon Theatre, 250 West 52 Street.
For ticket information, phone Ticketmaster at 212-307-4100, or for group sales, phone 212-302-7000 or 800-677-1164. Hairspray offers the ShowTrans system for foreign-speaking audience members in the following languages: French, Japanese, Portuguese, and Spanish. Same-day, lottery tickets are sold at the box office for seats in the first row of the orchestra. For more information about Hairspray please consult the Hairspray website atwww.hairsprayonbroadway.com.
Photo Credit Peter James Zielinski
