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Leah Hocking is the Next Velma Von Tussle in Hairspray

By: Oct. 18, 2005
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Leah Hocking will take on the role of the villainous Velma Von Tussle in Hairspray.

The actress, who will begin performances tonight, will first step in for Barbara Walsh (who will be busy with the Transport Group's musical Normal).  Hocking will stay with the exuberant musical through November 13th.  After Walsh wraps up her run with the show (from November 15th through December 4th), Hocking will once again put on the teased wig on December 6th.

Hocking last appeared on Broadway in the Elvis musical All Shook Up.  Prior to that, she was seen in Dance of the Vampires, the Broadway production of The Wild Party (in which she originated the role of Mae), Jekyll and Hyde, Grease and Guys and Dolls.  Off-Broadway, she starred in the musical comedy The Thing About Men, as well as in Forbidden Broadway and Inside Out.

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Hairspray tells of overweight teenager Tracy Turnblad's ascent into love, happiness and stardom on a 60's dance show, which she helps to racially integrate. The Broadway show was itself based on John Waters' 1988 film. It opened in August of 2002 and garnered 8 Tonys, including Best Musical, Best Original Score for Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, Best Book of a Musical for Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan, Best Direction of a Musical for Jack O'Brien, Best Actor in a Musical for Harvey Fierstein and Best Actress in a Musical for Marissa Jaret Winokur.

Hairspray currently stars Shannon Durig as Tracy, John Pinette as Edna, Turnblad, Stephen DeRosa as Wilbur Turnblad, Richard H. Blake as Link Larkin, Becky Gulsvig as Amber Von Tussle, Tracey Miller as Penny Pingleton and Darlene Love as Motormouth Maybelle.

For more information, visit www.hairspraythemusical.com.




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