Hairspray

Hairspray is a musical by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan (book), Marc Shaiman (music) and Scott Wittman (lyrics).

Sometimes referred to as Hairspray - The Musical or Hairspray the Musical.

The original text

Based on John Waters's 1988 film of the same name[1].

It opened in Seattle in 2002 and moved to Broadway later that year, winning eight Tony Awards in 2003. Closed on January 4, 2009. Companies continued to tour various parts of the world with it till the 2020s.

Translations and adaptations

Made into a second film in 2007, also with the same name[2].

Performance history in South Africa

2007: Performed in South Africa, produced by Steven Joffe (CEO of Gold Reef City Resorts), Richard Loring (Executive Producer), Debra Batzofin (Associate Producer), and Denis Hutchinson (Theatre and Lighting Designer). The huge cast included Harry Sideropoulos (Edna), Marah Louw (Motormouth Maybelle), Kate Normington (Velma Von Tussle), Mike Huff (Wilbur), Elizca Coetzer (Tracy), Vicky Friedman (Penny), Jo Galloway (Amber), Kyle Grant (Link), Earl Gregory (Seaweed), as well as Nonhle Beryl Makhaya, Pulane Rampoana and Ntambo Rapatla (The Dynamites).

2022: Hairspray: The Musical presented at the Baxter Theatre, Cape Town, by Hoërskool Jan van Riebeeck and the Baxter Theatre, in collaboration with Cape Town Theatre Company and DALRO on May 4-7. Directed by Rushney Ferguson and Regina R. Malan, with choreography by Rushney Ferguson and Alex Rodkin.

2023: Performed as Hairspray The Musical by pupils of the Parktown High School for Girls

2023: Performed at the Savoy Theatre in Port Elizabeth by the Port Elizabeth Gilbert and Sullivan Society, 20 September 2023 - 07 October 2023.[3]