Shannon Durig Hits 1000th Performance as Tracy in 'Hairspray' on March 13

Shannon Durig who stars as Tracy Turnblad in the Broadway hit Hairspray, celebrates a tremendous career achievement - her 1,000th performance - on Thursday, March 13, 2008 at Broadway's Neil Simon Theatre.

"Winning the role of the Tracy Turnblad understudy in 2003, Shannon waited in the wings perfecting her craft while longing to be on stage.  Her big chance finally came two years and 200 performances later when she was offered the starring role.  The ambitious kid from Kansas who grew up dreaming of standing in the spotlight took over the lead role and for two and a half years has been winning hearts and garnering universal praise in one of Broadway's biggest musicals.  Shannon was a hit and she has been blowing away audiences since she first stepped foot on The Great White Way!" declare press notes.

Shannon follows the three memorable Tracy's before her; Best Actress Tony-Award winner Marissa Jaret Winokur, soap opera star and Daytime Emmy Award nominee Kathy Brier, and Carly Jibson who will be back on Broadway this month in John Water's latest musical to hit the stage, Cry-Baby.

The current cast features television legend George Wendt as Edna Tunblad and Tom Rooney as dad Wilbur Turnblad.  Also featured in the cast are Ashley Parker Angel as Link Larkin, Tevin Campbell as Seaweed, Darlene Love as Motormouth Maybelle, Naturi Naughton as Inez and Mary Birdsong as Velma Von Tussle.

Hairspray, which celebrated its fifth anniversary on Broadway in August 2007, is the winner of eight 2003 Tony Awards, including best musical, best actor, best actress, best featured actor, best score, best book, best director, and best costume design. 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.

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 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.

"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!" describe press notes.

For additional information on Shannon Durig, please visit her website at www.shannondurig.com.

 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.

Shannon Durig