Katy Geraghty, John Bolton, and More Join HAIRSPRAY at the Muny

Katy Geraghty, John Bolton, Sara Gettelfinger, Charity Angél Dawson, Paul Schwensen, Madison Thompson, Ben Jackson Walker, Ashlynn Maddox, Nicholas A. Wilkinson, Hannah Solow, Kevin Zak and Joy Elizabeth Rhodes will star alongside previously announced Richard Kind in the Muny production of Hairspray, which opens the theatre’s 108th season this summer in Forest Park.

Hairspray, the musical comedy based on John Waters’ cult classic 1988 film and winner of eight Tony Awards, runs June 15-21 and is presented by Emerson.

The production is led by Seth Sklar-Heyn (director), Jesse Robb (choreographer) and Evan Roider (music director/conductor). 

“What a great, exciting, funny show to kick off Season 108,” said Muny Artistic Director & Executive Producer Mike Isaacson. “This extraordinary group of artists will bring humor, power and undeniable joy to our stage. In the words of Tracy Turnblad, ‘Let’s dance!’”

Biographies

Katy Geraghty (Tracy Turnblad) returns to The Muny after appearing in Bring It On (Bridget) last summer and Sister Act (Sister Mary Patrick) in 2023. Broadway: Into the Woods (Little Red, Broadway replacement and national tour), Groundhog Day (original Broadway cast). Favorite theatre credits: Oklahoma! (Gertie Cummings, Carnegie Hall), & Juliet (pre-Broadway Toronto run), Bliss (world premiere at 5th Avenue Theatre), Hairspray (Tracy Turnblad, Oregon Shakespeare Festival) and Shrek The Musical (Gingy, North Shore Music Theatre).

Richard Kind (Edna Turnblad) Broadway: The Big Knife (Drama Desk Award, supporting actor; Tony nomination, featured actor in a play); The Producers (Broadway, Hollywood Bowl, West End); Dirty Rotten Scoundrels ; Sly Fox; The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife; Kiss Me, Kate; All In. Regional: Sondheim’s Bounce (Goodman Theatre, Kennedy Center); Candide (New York City Opera at Lincoln Center); Once in a Lifetime (Guthrie Theatre); Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead, The Front Page (Williamstown Theatre Festival); Power Failure (Actors Studio Free Theatre Co.); The Seagull (Matrix Theatre); The Second City in Chicago, New York and Los Angeles; 12 Angry Men; Enemy of the People. Film: Argo, Inside Out, Hereafter, Beau Is Afraid, Bombshell, A Serious Man, The Visitor, Cars, The Station Agent, A Bug’s Life, Mr. Saturday Night , Clifford, Stargate. TV (series regular): East New York, The Watcher, Red Oaks, Luck, Spin City, Mad About You, Big Mouth, Young Sheldon, Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Goldbergs, Brockmire , The Other Two, Everybody’s Live With John Mulaney, Only Murders in the Building.

John Bolton (Wilbur Turnblad) returns to The Muny after playing Nick last season in Come From Away. He starred on Broadway in Anastasia, Dames at Sea, A Christmas Story, Curtains and How to Succeed and was in the original Broadway companies of Spamalot, Contact and Titanic, all of which won the Tony Award for best musical. He made his Broadway debut alongside Jerry Lewis in Damn Yankees. Mr. Bolton toured the US as The Wizard in Wicked and as Horace Vandergelder in Hello, Dolly! Nominated for Drama Desk, Outer Critics, Astaire, Chita Rivera and Lortel awards, Mr. Bolton headlined several NY Pops concerts at Carnegie Hall and was a soloist with the NY Philharmonic at Lincoln Center. TV: The Equalizer , FBI, Girls5Eva, The Blacklist, Madam Secretary, Evil, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Elementary, Gossip Girl, Blue Bloods, The Good Wife, Boardwalk Empire and more.

Sara Gettelfinger (Velma Von Tussle) most recently starred as Robyn in The Roommate at ATC (directed by Marsha Mason) and as Mother! in the critically acclaimed world premiere of The Last Bimbo of the Apocalypse at The New Group NYC. Other Broadway/national tours: Water for Elephants (Barbara), The Addams Family (Morticia), A Free Man of Color (Dona Athene), The 101 Dalmatians Musical (Cruella de Vil), Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Jolene Oakes), Nine (Carla), The Boys From Syracuse, Seussical, Fosse. Other NYC/regional: High Society, The Cher Show, Carnival!, Tenderloin, Chicago, Grey Gardens, Anything Goes, Pippin. TV/film: Guiding Light, Ed, Without a Trace, Georgetown, The Big C, Forbidden Love, Sex and the City: The Movie and The Man With the Bag (coming to theatres and streaming later this year).

CHARITY ANGÉL DAWSON (Motormouth Maybelle) Broadway credits include & Juliet (Nurse/Angelique), Chicago (Mama Morton), Mrs. Doubtfire (Wanda Sellner), Waitress (Nurse Norma/Becky, including the filmed production streaming on HBO), Side Show (Fortune Teller). Off-Broadway: Disaster (Lavora). Tours: Dreamgirls (Effie White), The Color Purple (Darlene). Regional: Hercules at Paper Mill Playhouse (Muse/Clio); Ain't Misbehavin’ at Portland Center Stage; Kiss Me, Kate at Hartford Stage Company (Hattie); The Wiz (Evillene).

Paul Schwensen (Corny Collins) returns to The Muny after performing as Dean in All Shook Up in 2017. Originally from Vermilion, Ohio, Paul began his acting career at age 6, performing in Bye Bye Birdie with his parents. Most recently, Paul was seen on Broadway as Elder Price in The Book of Mormon. He performed in the national tours of Wicked (u/s Fiyero), Miss Saigon (u/s Chris) and the Atlanta tryout of Becoming Nancy. Paul appeared as Luke in the Starz series Three Women. Favorite regional credits include Houston Broadway Theatre, ACT of Connecticut, The Arvada Center and Quisisana.

Madison Thompson (Amber Von Tussle) is a SAG Award-nominated actress best known for her role as Erin Pierce in Netflix’s Emmy Award-winning series Ozark and can currently be seen in HBO’s hit drama Euphoria. Her previous credits include the Emmy-nominated musical series Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies, a prequel to the beloved classic Grease; Lasse Hallström’s The Map That Leads to You for Prime Video, which immediately hit No. 1 on the streamer upon release; and Prime Video’s Emergency, an official selection at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival, among others. Outside of acting, Thompson is a producer on the hit Tubi Sidelined franchise, the off-Broadway play Pretty Perfect Lives and the upcoming musical Like Father, premiering at Atlanta’s Alliance Theatre.

Ben Jackson Walker (Link Larkin) originated the role of Romeo in the Toronto and Broadway productions of & Juliet and reprised the role on the UK tour. On screen, he made his film debut as Gary in the Paramount+ comedy Honor Society and can next be seen in the Netflix feature Just Picture It starring Millie Bobby Brown. Television credits include guest starring roles in the series finale of Orange Is the New Black and Evil. A native of Wilmington, Del., he is a graduate of the prestigious musical theatre program at the University of Michigan. His original music is streaming on all major platforms.

Ashlyn Maddox (Penny Pingleton) makes her Muny debut. Select theatre credits: Parade (Broadway/NYCC), A Christmas Carol (PAC NYC), Bull Durham (Paper Mill Playhouse), Bye Bye Birdie (Kennedy Center), Ride the Cyclone (Arena/McCarter). TV: Rabbit, Rabbit (Netflix); The Four Seasons (Netflix); Law & Order (NBC).

NICHOLAS A. WILKINSON (Seaweed J. Stubbs) Regional: 42nd Street (Ensemble, Broadway At Music Circus), Disney’s Frozen (Kristoff, Encore Musical Theatre Company), Irving Berlin’s White Christmas (Mike Nulty, Weston Theater Company), Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus: The Musical (Teenager/City Worker, Weston Theater Company). BFA in musical theatre, University of Michigan.

Hannah Solow (Female Authority Figure) is currently understudy to Mary Todd Lincoln in Oh, Mary!, written by Cole Escola and directed by Sam Pinkleton, at The Lyceum Theatre on Broadway. Off-Broadway: Oh, Mary! National tour: Oklahoma! , directed by Daniel Fish. As a comedian, her original characters and songs have been performed in every basement in New York City. Former house performer at Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre. BFA: NYU Tisch School of the Arts.

Kevin Zak (Male Authority Figure) returns to The Muny after performing in The Little Mermaid (Flotsam) in 2017 and Mamma Mia! in 2016. Kevin is the writer and director of the off-Broadway comedies Ginger Twinsies and A Kidman Carol. He has been involved as an actor or creative on such productions as Rob Lake Magic With Special Guests The Muppets, Death Becomes Her, Waitress, Clinton the Musical (Lucille Lortel nomination) and Silence! The Musical (off-Broadway, UK).