James Ellis News

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.

There will be access performances for the smash hit award-winning musical 'HAIRSPRAY' on 3, 10 and 17 April.

Ian Talbot will star as 'Wilbur Turnblad' in the smash hit award-winning musical 'Hairspray' from Monday 28 January. He will join Michael Ball as 'Edna Turnblad', Leanne Jones as 'Tracy Turnblad' and Ben James-Ellis as 'Link Larkin', who will all continue to star in the show until Saturday 25 October 2008.

Michael Ball has extended his run in the hugely popular role of 'Edna Turnblad' in the smash hit award-winning musical Hairspray by six months. He will now be starring in the role until Saturday 25 October 2008.

The premiere West End cast of the smash hit multi-award winning Broadway musical Hairspray has been announced. Michael Ball will star as Edna Turnblad, Mel Smith as Wilbur Turnblad, Leanne Jones as Tracy Turnblad and Ben James-Ellis as Link Larkin . Hairspray open at the Shaftesbury Theatre on Tuesday October 30, following previews from October 11.

Turtle Shell Productions and artistic director John W. Cooper present the New York premiere of Norman Beim's comedy/drama, On a Darkling Plain, which takes place during the final days of the McCarthy era. The play is the winner of the Americana Theatre's David James Ellis Memorial Award and was chosen as best new play in a nationwide competition conducted by the Street Players Theatre in Norman, Oklahoma.

Turtle Shell Productions has announced its next show, a trilogy of one-acts by Norman Beim entitled Stranger Than Fiction; 3 Plays Based on Fact.