The Hollywood Bowl's production of HAIRSPRAY reunites original Broadway stars Harvey Fierstein and Marissa Jaret Winokur. Both Fierstein and Winokur, playing mother Edna Turnblad and daughter Tracy Turnblad, were awarded Tony Awards for best leading actor in a musical and best leading actress in a musical respectively for their appearances in HAIRSPRAY on Broadway. This is the first time that they have performed these roles together in Los Angeles; this is also Fierstein's Hollywood Bowl debut.
Fierstein and Winokur are joined by Corbin Bleu, Drew Carey, Diana DeGarmo, Mo Gaffney, Nick Jonas, Darlene Love, Tara Macri, and John Stamos. Drew Carey, the current host of The Price is Right and Drew Carey's Improv-a- Ganza, plays Wilbur Turnblad, Edna's husband and Tracy's father. John Stamos, playing the TV Host Corny Collins, starred on Broadway in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Cabaret, Nine and Bye Bye Birdie and is known for his television work on Full House and ER, and this season on Glee and Law & Order: SVU.
Nick Jonas, of the Grammy®-nominated, platinum selling band, the Jonas Brothers plays Link Larkin. Jonas appeared on Broadway as Chip in Beauty and the Beast and as Gavroche in Les Misérables and last year made his West End debut and performed at the 02 Arena in the 25th Anniversary Concert as Marius in the same musical. Corbin Bleu, who plays Seaweed, was Chad Danforth in all three High School Musical Disney films and starred on Broadway as Usnavi in In the Heights; he has released 2 albums, Another Side and Speed of Light, both distributed by Hollywood Records.
2011 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Darlene Love, most known for her Phil Spector recordings of "He's a Rebel" and "(Christmas) Baby Please Come Home," plays Motormouth Maybelle and is one of four cast members performing roles they played in the Broadway company of HAIRSPRAY. Diana DeGarmo, who finished just after Fantasia in the third season of American Idol, plays Penny Pingleton and Tara Macri, a Chicago Jersey Boys company alum, plays Amber. They are joined by Mo Gaffney, beloved for her television appearances (Mad About You, that ‘70s Show, Run of the House, Absolutely Fabulous among others) playing Prudy Pingleton, the Gym Teacher, and the Matron.
HAIRSPRAY is directed and choreographed at the Hollywood Bowl by Tony Award- winner Jerry Mitchell, and Lon Hoyt is the musical director. HAIRSPRAY is the 2003 winner of eight Tony Awards including Best Musical, in addition to holding the record as the 20th longest running show in Broadway history. Mitchell was the original choreographer of Hairspray on Broadway and won Tony and Olivier awards for his work; Hoyt was the original musical director of the Broadway production.
Photo Credit: Lily Lim
