UK 'Hairspray' Recoups Investment in 29 Weeks

The smash hit award-winning musical HAIRSPRAY at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London has recouped its entire £3.5 million capitalization in a record-breaking 29 weeks. The show opened on 30 October 2007 to universal critical acclaim and smash hit business. At the 2008 Olivier Awards, HAIRSPRAY won 'Best Musical', as well as 'Best Actor in a Musical' for Michael Ball, 'Best Actress in a Musical' for LeAnne Jones and 'Best Supporting Actress in a Musical' for Tracie Bennett. The show also won 'Best Musical' and 'Best Newcomer' for LeAnne Jones at the Critics' Circle Awards, as well as sweeping the board at the Whatsonstage.com awards, where it won 'Best New Musical', 'Best Actress in a Musical' for LeAnne Jones, 'Best Actor in a Musical' for Michael Ball, 'Best Supporting Actress in a Musical' for Tracie Bennet, 'Best Supporting Actor in a Musical' for Ben James-Ellis, 'Best Director' for Jack O'Brien, and 'Best Choreographer' for Jerry Mitchell.

The musical continues to break all box office records at the theatre and is now booking until 4 April 2009. HAIRSPRAY stars Michael Ball as 'Edna Turnblad', LeAnne Jones as 'Tracey Turnblad', Ian Talbot as 'Wilbur Turnblad' and Ben James-Ellis as 'Link Larkin'.

HAIRSPRAY is produced in the West End by Stage Entertainment with Margo Lion, The Baruch/Viertel/Routh/Frankel Group and New Line Cinema in association with others from the Broadway producing team.  

HAIRSPRAY opened at the Neil Simon Theatre in New York in August 2002 to rave reviews and public acclaim. HAIRSPRAY subsequently swept the board at the 2003 Tony Awards, winning 8 including 'Best Musical', the Drama Desk Awards, winning 10 including 'Best Musical', and the Outer Critics Circle Awards, winning 5 including 'Best Broadway Musical'. "HAIRSPRAY" also won the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for 'Best Musical' and the Drama League Award for 'Outstanding Musical Production'.  The show has also played two hugely successful US tours as well as seasons in Toronto and Las Vegas.   

HAIRSPRAY has a book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan, music by Marc Shaiman and lyrics by Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman. The musical is based on the New Line Cinema film, written and directed by John Waters. The musical is directed by Jack O'Brien and choreographed by Jerry Mitchell. The scenic design is by David Rockwell, the costumes by William Ivey Long, the lighting by Kenneth Posner and the sound by Steve C. Kennedy. With orchestrations by Harold Wheeler and arrangements by Marc Shaiman, the musical direction is by Lon Hoyt. The West End production of HAIRSPRAY is staged by the entire original Broadway creative team.  

Performances times at the Shaftesbury Theatre are Mondays to Saturdays at 7.30pm, with Thursday and Saturday matinees at 3.00pm. Tickets, priced from £22.50 - £60, are available from the Shaftesbury Theatre Box Office on 0207 379 5399 or by visiting www.hairspraythemusical.com.

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