Greg Kalafatas and Caroline Eiseman-Led HAIRSPRAY National Tour Reveals 2023-24 Casting and Full Route

HAIRSPRAY, Broadway's Tony Award-winning musical comedy phenomenon, has announced casting and the touring schedule for the 2023-2024 season. This new North American tour, helmed by original director Jack O'Brien and original choreographer Jerry Mitchell, will visit 45 cities including premiere engagements in Calgary, AB; Charlotte, NC; Cleveland, OH; Dallas, TX; Denver, CO; Edmonton, ALB; Houston, TX; Nashville, TN; Ottawa, ONT; Vancouver, BC; and many more. The season will also feature return engagements in Boston, MA; San Antonio, TX; and St. Louis, MO; among others. Learn more and see the tour route at www.hairspraytour.com. 

In the first two seasons of touring, HAIRSPRAY played in 118 cities, reaching 44 states and the District of Columbia. More than 886,000 audience members have experienced the “must-see production” (Spectrum News 1 Milwaukee) that is “as buoyant as its bouffants” (Boston Globe), full of “humor, heart and unstoppable energy” (Minneapolis Star-Tribune) and quite simply, “Marvelous - and nearly miraculous” (Omaha World-Herald). 

The cast will be led by Greg Kalafatas as Edna Turnblad, Caroline Eiseman as Tracy Turnblad and Deidre Lang as Motormouth Maybelle. Joining them are Josiah Rogers as Seaweed J. Stubbs, Skyler Shields as Link Larkin, Ralph Prentice Daniel as Wilbur Turnblad, Andrew Scoggin as Corny Collins, Caroline Portner as Amber Von Tussle, Sarah Hayes as Velma Von Tussle, Scarlett Jacques as Penny Pingleton, and Kaila Symone Crowder as Little Inez. Micah Sauvageau is Male Authority Figure, and Emmanuelle Zeesman is Female Authority Figure. 

The ensemble consists of Abigail Bensman, Connor Buonaccorsi, Ashia Collins, Joshua James Crawford, Scoob Decker, Craig First, Audrey Taylor Floyd, Gavin Guthrie, Alyssa Jacqueline, Leiah Lewis, Christy Oberndorf, Kynnedi Moryaé Porter, Caroline Purdy, Kalab Quinn, Josiah Thomas Randolph, Amy Rodriguez, Sage, Scott Silagy, Cara Torchia, Lilliannie Arie Urgent, and James Douglas Vinson. 

“It's a brand-new world we find ourselves in today, and HAIRSPRAY is even more relevant than twenty years ago when it first burst onto the scene. With a whole new generation of wildly talented kids across the board, we cannot wait to raise the various roofs once more with dance, joy, music, and that glorious, famous, energy-packed score!” shared Director Jack O'Brien. 

Choreographer Jerry Mitchell added, “HAIRSPRAY has always been about all of us dancing together! I am thrilled to welcome this NEW company of amazing #FULLOUT talents to lead the way as we dance across America with a message of inclusion and hope because 'You really Can't Stop the Beat!'” 

HAIRSPRAY is the story of 16-year-old Tracy Turnblad in 1960s Baltimore as she sets out to dance her way onto TV's most popular show. Can a girl with big dreams (and even bigger hair) change the world? Featuring the beloved score of hit songs including “Welcome to the '60s,” “Good Morning Baltimore,” and “You Can't Stop the Beat,” HAIRSPRAY is “fresh, winning, and deliriously tuneful!” (The New York Times).  

HAIRSPRAY is based on the New Line Cinema film written and directed by John Waters, who served as a creative consultant on the musical comedy. It features a book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan. HAIRSPRAY features an original score by Academy Award-nominated Marc Shaiman and lyrics by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman.  

Additional creative team for HAIRSPRAY includes Tour Director Matt Lenz; Tour Choreographer Robbie Roby; Set Designer David Rockwell; Lighting Designer Kenneth Posner; Tour Lighting Designer Paul Miller; Costume Designer William Ivey Long; Hair and Wig Designers Paul Huntley, Richard Mawbey and Bernie Ardia; Sound Designer Shannon Slaton; Music Supervisor Keith Thompson; and Casting by Prather Productions. 

HAIRSPRAY premiered at Seattle's 5th Avenue Theater in June 2002. The show was a smash hit when it transferred to Broadway, winning eight 2003 Tony Awards including Best Musical, and became the longest-running musical to play the Neil Simon Theater, running 2,642 performances from July 18, 2002, until January 4, 2009. It is the 22nd longest running show in Broadway history. 

 

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