Mark Benton, Freya Sutton and More Star in HAIRSPRAY at King's Theatre, Glasgow, Now thru May 18

The King's Theatre, Glasgow, will present HAIRSPRAY, starring Mark Benton, Lucy Benjamin, Marcus Collins and Freya Sutton.

Mark Benton is one of the country's most loved and recognisable television actors with roles in programmes as diverse as Early Doors, Eureka Street, Catterick, Second Coming, City Lights, Booze Cruise, Land Girls, and The Street. He can currently be seen as Chalky in the BBC series Waterloo Road. On stage he has appeared in work at The National Theatre, the Old Vic, the Lyric Hammersmith, the Donmar Warehouse, the Royal Court and the RSC.

Mark said: "I can't wait to start Hairspray, it's going to be amazing fun and an interesting challenge for me as it's my first adventure into the world of musicals...that I get to go on that adventure playing a Baltimore housewife is an added bonus! As a musical I think it has everything, great songs, great script, really interesting story and lots and lots of laughs...I hope!"

Lucy Benjamin will play the role of scheming TV executive and archetypal 'showbiz mom' Velma Von Tussle (played on film by both Debbie Harry and Michelle Pfheiffer) and is joined by previously announced stage and screen star Mark Benton as Edna and Freya Sutton as big-hearted, big-haired teen heroine Tracy Turnblad.

Lucy said: "Hairspray is an absolute dream come true for me. I'm so excited to be returning to my musical theatre roots and to be cast in one of the biggest and best shows around, well, it was worth the wait! I'm a huge fan of the films and loved the show in the West End. Velma is a great character too, a piece of work of course but she'll be a wonderful challenge and to play opposite Mr Mark Benton, he's the icing on the cake!"

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 - dancing. She wins a spot on the local TV dance programme, The Corny Collins Show and, overnight, is transformed from outsider to irrepressible teen celebrity. But can a trendsetting hair-hopper like Tracy get her massively shy Mom out of the apartment, beat evil Amber to be crowned Miss Hairspray, integrate Corny's show for good AND win the heart of local heartthrob Link Larkin, all without denting her super high 'do'? If anyone can, Tracy can!

The musical HAIRSPRAY opened at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London on October 2007, recouping its entire capitalisation in record-breaking time. The show received universal critical acclaim and smash hit business and eventually played more than 1000 performances to well over 1 million people. At the 2008 Olivier Awards, HAIRSPRAY won Best Musical, as well as a further three awards from a record breaking eleven nominations. The show has also won Best Musical at the Evening Standard Awards, the Whatsonstage.com Theatregoers Choice awards, the Critics' Circle Awards and the Variety Club Showbiz Awards. It embarked on its first UK tour in 2010 playing to nearly ¾ million people in sold out houses across Britain. Further afield the show has played at venues around the world, including six years on Broadway, and won more than 40 major theatre awards..

HAIRSPRAY will run today 7 - Sat 18 May, Mon - Sat eves 7.30pm and Wed & Sat mats 2.30pm. Tickets: £17.50 - £44.50. Box Office 0844 871 7648 (Bkg fee) or www.atgtickets.com/glasgow (bkg fee). Press night is slated for Wednesday, 8th May at 7.30 pm.

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