Audiences will be whisked away to 1960s Baltimore when Pittsburgh CLO presents Hairspray July 20 - August 1 at the Benedum Center. Adapted for the stage from John Water's 1988 film, Hairspray ran on Broadway for over six years and has since become a toe-tapping hit all over the world.
Set in Baltimore in 1962, the energetic Hairspray tells the story of Tracy Turnblad, a larger-than-life personality with a big ‘do and big dreams of dancing on the local "Corny Collins Show." However, when she wins a spot on the program, Tracy must take on the show's dancing queen and the challenge of integrating a television show, all while trying to win the heart of teen celebrity Link Larkin. Hairspray's enthusiasm is contagious as it follows Tracy's passionate push for fairness and acceptance in a time of change. Featuring songs such as "Mama, I'm a Big Girl Now," "You Can't Stop the Beat" and "Good Morning, Baltimore," this Tony® Award-winning musical will have audiences singing and dancing all the way home.Drew Lachey (Corny Collins) comes to Pittsburgh CLO for the first time. Best known for winning ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" in 2006, he was also a member of the pop group 98 Degrees, along with his brother Nick. His film credits include "The Wisher" and "The Comebacks." He has also appeared on television's "As the World Turns," "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" and "Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica." Mr. Lachey has appeared on Broadway in Rent (Mark Cohen) and Spamalot (Patsy).
Jim J. Bullock (Wilbur) makes his Pittsburgh CLO debut as Wilbur after playing the role on the first National Tour of Hairspray. His theater work includes End of the World Party (off-Broadway) and the west coast premiere of When Pigs Fly, in a performance acclaimed by the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle. His television credits include "The Hollywood Squares," NBC's "Alf," "The Jim J. and Tammy Faye Show," Nickelodeon's "Ned Declassified" and six seasons as Monroe on ABC's "Too Close for Comfort." He has also worked in film with such noted directors as Blake Edwards in "Switch" and Mel Brooks in the cult classic "Space Balls."
Michael Kadin Craig (Link Larkin) makes his Pittsburgh CLO debut after performing in the closing cast of the off-Broadway show Altar Boyz. Other NYC credits include High School Musical 2 and HSM Yearbook with Disney Theatricals, Broadway's Leading Men IV at Birdland, Lincoln Center's Only Children and Joe Iconis's Things to Ruin at Joe's Pub and Ars Nova. Regionally, he has portrayed Troy in HSM 1 & 2, Jonathan in tick...tick...BOOM!, and Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar. He was also seen on the second season of "American Idol" as a Hollywood Finalist.
Katrina Rose Dideriksen (Tracy) makes her Pittsburgh CLO debut. She reprises the role of Tracy from the Toronto production, the National Tour, and the Luxor production in Las Vegas opposite Harvey Fierstein. Other credits include the Carnegie Hall performance of Jerry Springer: The Opera, the GLSEN benefit performance of Zanna, Don't and Bernice Bobs Her Mullet in the New York Musical Theatre Festival.
Kecia Lewis-Evans (Motomouth Maybelle) joins Pittsburgh CLO for the first time. Her Broadway credits include Big River, Ain't Misbehavin', Once on This Island, Chicago and The Drowsy Chaperone. She also played the role of The Dragon in Shrek: The Musical during its tryout run in Seattle, and appeared in the National Tour of Dreamgirls. Her television credits include "Crossing Jordan," "The Hughleys" and "Law & Order."
Stuart Marland (Male Authority Figure) returns to Pittsburgh CLO after performing as Christopher Belling in Curtains and as Roger DeBris in The Producers. He also appeared as Father Michael in 2004's Lunch. He has appeared on Broadway in Xanadu (understudy for Tony Roberts), Beauty and the Beast, Jekyll & Hyde and Cyrano - The Musical. National Tours include The Producers, Seussical with Cathy Rigby, Evita, Ragtime, The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber with Sarah Brightman, The Who's Tommy, A Chorus Line, Sophisticated Ladies and The King and I. Recent regional and stock roles include Les Miserables, Run For Your Wife, Dames at Sea and Man of La Mancha.
Luba Mason (Velma von Tussle) makes her Pittsburgh CLO debut. On Broadway, she has appeared in Chicago, Jekyll & Hyde, Paul Simon's The Capeman, the 1995 revival of How to Succeed in Business..., The Will Rogers Follies and Sid Caesar & Company. Regional credits include The Ten Commandments, Pippin and A Class Act. She has also made television guest appearances on "Raines," "NYPD Blue," "Law & Order," "All My Children" and "One Life to Live." Ms. Mason has released two solo albums ("Krazy Love" and "Collage") and can be heard as a guest vocalist on Ruben Blades' 2003 Grammy® Award-winning album "Mundo."Rashad Naylor (Seaweed J. Stubbs) joins Pittsburgh CLO for the first time. His Broadway credits include understudying the role of "Seaweed" and originating the role of "Thad" in the original Tony® Award-winning company of Hairspray. Mr. Naylor recently concluded his run in the Chicago production of Jersey Boys. Other credits include Des McAnuff's reimagining of The Wiz and The Rat Pack: Live from Vegas.
Niki Scalera (Penny Pingleton) makes her Pittsburgh CLO debut as Penny after playing the role on Broadway. Her other Broadway credits include Tarzan and Jake's Women. She has also performed off-Broadway in The American Dream with James Naughton and Richard Greenberg's Vanishing Act. Regional theater credits include We Will Rock You, Putting It Together, and Our Town with HAl Holbrook, and television appearances include "Loving," "All My Children," "Another World," and the Emmy-nominated ABC Afterschool Special "Don't Touch." Ms. Scalera is an NYU Tisch graduate.Ashley Spencer (Amber von Tussle) debuted with Pittsburgh CLO as Eponine in last summer's Les Misérables. She joins Pittsburgh CLO this season as Niki Harris in Curtains and Ulla in The Producers in addition to her role as Amber. She was a finalist on the NBC television series "Grease: You're the One that I Want!" and appeared in the National Tour of Barbie Live in Fairytopia. Her Broadway credits include Hairspray (Amber von Tussle) and Grease (Sandy Dumbrowski).
Paul Vogt (Edna Turnblad) reprises the role of Edna in his Pittsburgh CLO debut after playing the character on Broadway in 2007. He first gained recognition as a regular cast member on NBC's summer series "The Rerun Show" and is best known for his work on the hit television sketch series "MADtv." Mr. Vogt's film credits include "The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement," "Raising Helen" and "Valentine's Day." He has also appeared on television as a guest star on "Chicago Hope," "Arrested Development," "Hannah Montana," "Grey's Anatomy" and a recent episode of "Glee." Mr. Vogt has received critical acclaim for his work onstage, including productions of Assassins, Hamlet, Much Ado About Nothing and Happy Days: The Musical.
ABOUT THE PRODUCTION STAFF
Barry Ivan (Director and Choreographer) most recently directed this summer's Pittsburgh CLO production of Miss Saigon, which is currently playing at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto. Mr. Ivan served as the director and choreographer for the first-ever regional production of Hairspray at North Shore Music Theatre in 2006 and as director for Pittsburgh CLO's previous production of Miss Saigon in 2003. He has directed and choreographed numerous other Pittsburgh CLO shows, including Les Misérables, Smokey Joe's Café, The Full Monty, A Little Night Music, Company, Anything Goes, and West Side Story. Mr. Ivan's productions of Hairspray and The Full Monty have received Independent Reviewers of New England (IRNE) Awards for Best Musical. He has also been IRNE nominated as Best Director for his productions of Les Misérables and Nine.
Tom Helm (Music Director) returns for his 15th season with Pittsburgh CLO, where he has been the musical director for more than 40 productions, including this summer's Miss Saigon, Curtains and The Producers, and 2009's Les Misérables, Barry Manilow's Copacabana and Into the Woods. On Broadway, he was the musical director of Les Misérables, Me and My Girl and the revival of Brigadoon. Mr. Helm was also the musical director for the First National Tour of Cats and conducted Cats on Broadway early in its historic run. Mr. Helm is the resident music director at Paper Mill Playhouse, where he has been the conductor for more than 30 productions. He is also the musical supervisor for live Theater Productions of Diego Live, Blue's Clues and Dora the Explorer.
John McLain (Lighting Designer) has spent more than 20 years designing nearly 75 productions for Pittsburgh CLO. Other credits include National and International productions of musicals, ballet and opera. Mr. McClain has also designed for Ice Capades, Radio City Music Hall, The Lido in Paris and Jubilee for the MGM Grand in Las Vegas and Reno. He has represented every major regional theater and opera company in the United States. In the summers, Mr. McClain divides time between Pittsburgh CLO, Theater of the Stars in Atlanta and the Dallas Summer Musicals. He has designed productions of Porgy and Bess across the globe and his national and regional credits include Rugrats, Camelot, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, The King and I, The Sound of Music and Bombay Dreams. HISTORY OF THE SHOWPhoto Credit: Genevieve Rafter-Keddy
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