John Waters News

In the latest installment of Backstage with Richard rIdge, Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman reminisce about Hairspray's road to the stage, chat about the musical's legacy, and share tidbits on their latest Broadway-bound project, Some Like It Hot.

LIVING WITH CHUCKY utilizes new and archival interview footage to expose the series cultural impact over the years, with principal cast, crew members including Don Mancini, Brad Dourif, Jennifer Tilly, Tony Gardner, and David Kirshner, alongside fans of the franchise like Marlon Wayans, John Waters, and Abigail Breslin. 

DPAC announced that HAIRSPRAY, Broadway's Tony Award-winning musical comedy phenomenon, will come to DPAC November 15-20, 2022, as part of Truist Broadway at DPAC's new season.   

Returning cast members Andrew Levitt aka Nina West (from “RuPaul's Drag Race”) as Edna Turnblad, Niki Metcalf as Tracy Turnblad, Sandie Lee as Motormouth Maybelle, Billy Dawson as Corny Collins, Ryahn Evers as Amber Von Tussle, Addison Garner as Velma Von Tussle, and Emery Henderson as Penny Pingleton will be joined by new principal cast members Charlie Bryant III as Seaweed J. Stubbs, Ralph Prentice Daniel as Wilbur Turnblad, Brayden Krikke as Link Larkin and Joi D. McCoy as Little Inez.

Navy Pier, Chicago's iconic cultural destination, announced today that it will bring back Chicago Live! as an annual two-day performance festival, with generous support from the Pritzker Foundation.

Judy Greer, Paul Sparks, Alison Pill, Tracy Letts, Annie Parisse, Kate Arrington and Alexander Skarsgard will star in the movie adaptation of Eric Larue, directed by Michael Shannon. Michael Shannon is making his directorial debut with this film.

Writer Justin Elizabeth Sayre blogs for Broadway World about bringing Lottie Plachett Took A Hatchet to the Fringe, writing a play based on a true crime and the process of turning research and facts into a new and comedic storyline

HAIRSPRAY, Broadway's Tony Award-winning musical comedy phenomenon, helmed by original director Jack O'Brien and original choreographer Jerry Mitchell returns to Boston. 

Michael Shannon will be making his directorial debut with Eric Larue, a movie based on the Brett Neveu play that debuted in 2002 at A Red Orchid Theatre in Chicago. Neveu is also adapting the script.

Today, the Castro Theatre Conservancy (CTC)—a nonprofit organization—launched “Save the Castro Theatre,” a campaign dedicated to preserving and protecting San Francisco's Castro Theatre as a cultural and entertainment venue for motion pictures and live performances.

The Los Angeles Film Orchestra announces its debut performance, Basil Poledouris: The Music and The Movies at The Music Center's Walt Disney Concert Hall on July 22 at 8pm PT. The orchestra, under the direction of Maestro Steven Allen Fox, will also be joined by the SoCal Chorale led by Choir Maestra Marya Basaraba.

Now onstage through June 18 at Clarksville’s Roxy Regional Theatre, Cry-Baby: The Musical (which played a brief 2008 Broadway run) is a riff on Romeo and Juliet that takes place during the age of polio vaccinations, Pinko Commie malcontents and the overzealous construction of flimsy, at-home shelters that promised protection from atomic blasts and somehow typified the Eisenhower era of the post-war 1950s.

Pangea, a vital incubator for new work crossing boundaries between theatre, music and elsewhere, will present a veritable pride of diverse entertainers on nine consecutive nights, from June 17 to 26.  

Set in 1950s Baltimore, the conservative squares face off against the leather-clad delinquents in this rockabilly musical from the creative team behind Hairspray – Thomas Meehan and Mark O'Donnell – featuring a score from Fountains of Wayne co-founder Adam Schlesinger and The Daily Show executive producer David Javerbaum.  

Romeo and Juliet meets High School Hellcats in the hit summer musical coming to the stage of Clarksville’s oldest professional theatre. Based on the John Waters cult classic film, CRY-BABY: The Musical opens Friday, June 3, at 8:00pm.  In keeping with the theatre's pay-what-you-can opening night tradition, all tickets not pre-sold at the regular price will go on sale at 7:30pm that evening for a $5 minimum donation.

Laura Bell Bundy headlines Holmdel Theatre Company's next installment of its 'Broadway at the Barn' series on Saturday, July 16. The Broadway favorite will perform a solo concert called 'Born to Entertain,' which takes audiences through a journey of her life and career.

Following this month’s release of their new album EAR CANDY via Misfits Records in collaboration with Demented Punk, anime-meets-NY punk rock collective OSAKA POPSTAR are excited to reveal the animated video for its rocking and infectiously sweet original single, “Lost & Found” — available now!

Dance the night away with Hairspray at Hershey. The musical adaption of the John Waters' film is a celebration of acceptance and individuality. Niki Metcalf stars as vibrant teen, Tracy Turnblad. Metcalf is a joyful performer who exudes confidence. Metcalf has a good voice and uses it to great effect. One minor critique is that while she is a competent dancer, her moves don't really pop like I have seen in other productions. Tracy usually sticks out (in a good way) compared to the other teens, but that just wasn't coming across. Perhaps the flaw lies the choreography, not the dancer?

Kimmel Cultural Campus celebrates the birthday of beloved filmmaker John Waters, the writer and director of the 1988 film HAIRSPRAY, with free “John Waters Ice” from John's Water Ice and a special discount ticket offer.

The newly renovated State Theatre New Jersey presents Broadway's Tony Award-winning musical comedy phenomenon Hairspray for four performances on Friday, April 29, 2022, at 8pm; Saturday, April 30 at 2pm and 8pm; and Sunday, May 1 at 2pm. Tickets range from $40-$98.