New Penny To Shine In Hairspray: Caissie Levy

BroadwayWorld.com has learned that Caissie Levy, currently in the National Tour of "Hairspray" will make her Broadway debut as Penny Pingleton from May 23^rd - August 31^st, 2006

Levy told BroadwayWorld, "I am absolutely thrilled to be making my Broadway debut as Penny Lou! As an actor, it's so wonderful to step into Penny's saddle shoes each night, and after two and a half years in both the Toronto/>/> and touring casts, I still find new things to love about this role and this show. Two days shy of my birthday, I got the best gift possible - a Broadway gig! I couldn't be happier. It really is a dream come true."

Levy has garnered stellar reviews from the regional press. The Chicago Tribune said, " Caissie Levy's wacky Penny Pingleton is probably the closest performance to the original cast."  

While Fayetteville Online stated, "As Penny Pingleton, Tracy/>/>'s nerdy and occasionally dim sidekick, Caissie Levy is comic gold whenever she's on stage. Whether she's exploring the WZZT television station or bumbling through a sock hop dance while other characters advance the story, it's sometimes more fun to watch her than whoever's taking center stage. Seeing her transformation as she finds love in an unlikely place is touching and hilarious ."

Levy also appeared in the Toronto/>/> production of "Hairspray" as Tammy while understudying the roles of Penny and Amber. Prior to Hairspray, Caissie starred in National Tour of "RENT" and regional productions of "Smokey Joe's Cafe", "A Midsummer Nights Dream" and "If We Were Women"

In Hairspray, it's 1962, and Baltimore/>/>'s Tracy Turnblad wants to dance. When she wins a spot on the local TV dance program The Corny Collins Show, this big girl with big hair becomes a teen celebrity overnight. Soon Tracy/>/> finds herself pitted against the show's reigning princess for the title Miss Teenage Hairspray 1962. Based on the John Waters film, Hairspray is the winner of the 2003 Tony Award for Best Musical, the 2003 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical, the 2003 Outer Critics Circle Wward for Outstanding Broadway Musical, and the 2003 Drama League Award for Distinguished Production of a Musical!

Hairspray, based on the New Line Cinema film written and directed by John Waters, is currently playing at the Neil/> Simon/> Theatre/>/>. Hairspray, directed by Jack O'Brien, features an original score by Marc Shaiman with lyrics by Shaiman and Scott Wittman.

Photo credit: Paul Kolnik