'HAIRSPRAY' Closing in January; Fierstein to Return; Shaiman Comments

Reports indicate that 'Hairspray' will end it's successful run on January 18th, 2009. Official word is expected at any moment, there is also a strong chance that Harvey Fierstein will return to his Tony Winning role of Edna Turnblad to help the show go out in style. A spokesperson for the show gave word that the official news will be released shortly.   

BroadwayWorld reached out to Hairspray's Tony and Grammy Award Winning composer Marc Shaiman, who understandably was emotional about the news of the show's closing, he spoke to us about the joy of creating it and the rewards it continues to deliver, "We are very proud of our girl "HAIRSPRAY". She has many parents and an extended family that now reaches across numerous continents, not to  mention ages and races.  I guess this is how a parent feels when their kid moves out of the house.  She'll give us all sorts of new pleasures  that we have only recently begun to experience, such as the joy of seeing it performed by regional theaters, and then the best part, at community theaters and high schools like where Scott and I first learned the religion of musical theatre.

But still, I do not look forward to the day I watch her leave home for good.  I honestly don't know if I will be able to take it, I am crying on my fingers as I type this right now just thinking of her not being there anymore and I suspect I pretty much won't stop crying for a good long while. And the vice-presidential debate hasn't even started yet!  God, I wish I was in New York right now. I am jealous of those who are. 

Ok, I'm completely farklempt now. Talk among yourselves. Oh well, as I said to the producers today "The sooner we close, the sooner the revival!"

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'Brien and 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.

The show currently stars Marissa Perry as Tracy Turnblad, 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 with Live 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 at www.hairsprayonbroadway.com.

Photo Credit Peter James Zielinski