Photo Flash: Musical Theatre West Opens HAIRSPRAY!

HAIRSPRAY opened in 2002 on Broadway and had 2,642 performances at the Neil Simon Theatre. With music by Marc Shaiman, Lyrics by Marc Shaiman and Scott Williams and book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan, HAIRSPRAY and its feel-good, upbeat score includes the songs "Good Morning Baltimore," "Mama, I'm a Big Girl Now" and "You Can't Stop the Beat."

The Musical Theatre West cast of HAIRSPRAY features: Jim J. Bullock (Broadway/Nat'l Tour: HAIRSPRAY; Film: SPACEBALLS, KISSING JESSICA STEIN; TV: TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT, ALF, THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL) as Edna Turnblad; David Engel (Broadway: SEUSSICAL, PUTTING IT TOGETHER, LA CAGE AUX FOLLES; Off Broadway: FOREVER PLAID Original Cast, MTW: THE FULL MONTY, THE PRODUCERS, THE ANDREWS BROTHERS, Forbidden Broadway, CRAZY FOR YOU, LA CAGE) as Corny Collins; Todrick D. Hall (Broadway: MEMPHIS, THE COLOR PURPLE; Nat'l Tour: BEAUTY AND THE BEAST; MTW: THE WEDDING SINGER; TV: AMERICAN IDOL'S SEASON 9) as Seaweed; Derek Klena (Regional: CARRIE, THE MUSICAL, HAIRSPRAY, Happy Days, CINDERELLA, JOSEPH..., ALL SHOOK UP; TV: AMERICAN IDOL SEASON 10) as Link; Tracy Lore (N.Y. and National Tour: PETER PAN; MTW: THE PRODUCERS, ALL SHOOK UP (Ovation Nom.), THE FULL MONTY, ME & MY GIRL, THE Will Rogers FOLLIES; Regional: THE DROWSY CHAPERONE) as Velma Von Tussle; Barry Pearl (Broadway: THE PRODUCERS, BABY IT'S YOU, BYE BYE BIRDIE; MTW: ALL SHOOK UP, OLIVER!, KISS ME, KATE; Regional: Happy Days: A NEW MUSICAL; Film: GREASE) as Wilbur Turnblad; LAUREN SMOLKA (Regional: HAIRSPRAY, RAGTIME, ASSASSINS, ALL SHOOK UP) as Amber Von Tussle; Gwen Stewart (Broadway: RENT, STARMITES, BIG RIVER; MTW: ALL SHOOK UP (Ovation Award Winner) as Motormouth Maybelle; ERIN WATKINS (Regional: SPELLING BEE) as Penny and introducing VICTORIA MORGAN (Regional: HAIRSPRAY, CITY OF ANGELS, THE DROWSY CHAPERONE) as Tracy Turnblad.

For more information on Musical Theatre West's production of HAIRSPRAY, please visit www.musical.org; see photos from Friday's opening night below!

Photo Credit: Lily Lim