Preview: Hairspray at Sunderland Empire

Hairspray

Sunderland Empire

Monday 25^th – Saturday 30^thSeptember 2017

FOLLOWING THE PHENOMENAL SUCCESS OF THE 2015/16 UK TOUR OF SMASH HIT MUSICAL HAIRSPRAY HAS ANNOUNCED ANOTHER MAJOR TOUR FROM AUGUST 2017

STAR CASTING TO BE ANNOUNCED

Producer, Mark Goucher has confirmed that following the phenomenal success of the recent UK tour, the smash hit production of Hairspray will embark on a further major tour opening on 16 August 2017 at Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff.

Photo: Darren Bell

The big, bold and beautiful production of this much loved musical comedy will visit more than 30 venues across the length and breadth of the UK and Ireland until early summer 2018, calling at Sunderland Empire for one week only. Star casting will be announced in due course.

Producer Mark Goucher said: “I am incredibly proud of this production of Hairspray and thrilled that it will be travelling the country again. The universal appeal of this heart-warming show has continued to delight us all, with families and musical theatre lovers alike packing out theatres night after night.”

Photo: Darren Bell

Featuring the iconic music and lyrics by Academy Award, Tony and Emmy winning duo Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, the production will tour to Cardiff, Dartford, Dublin, Blackpool, Sunderland, Glasgow, Birmingham, Leicester, Buxton, Belfast, Aylesbury, Carlisle, Bradford, Guildford, Plymouth, Southampton, Sheffield, Aberdeen, Nottingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Inverness, Manchester, Milton Keynes, Liverpool, Hull, Llandudno, Canterbury and Southend.

Hairspray is directed by Paul Kerryson, with choreography by Drew McOnie.

Photo: Ellie Kurttz

It’s Baltimore 1962, where Tracy Turnblad, a big girl with big hair and an even bigger heart, is on a mission to follow her dreams and dance her way onto national TV. Tracy’s audition makes her a local star and soon she is using her new-found fame to fight for equality, bagging local heartthrob Link Larkin along the way.

Hairspray is a musical based on the 1988 film of the same name which starred Divine and Ricki Lake by cult filmmaker John Waters. With music and lyrics by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman and book by Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan, Hairspray originally opened to rave reviews on Broadway in 2002 and subsequently won eight Tony Awards. The production opened in London at the Shaftesbury Theatre in 2007 and won four Laurence Olivier Awards including Best New Musical. Proving to be an international success, Hairspray has also opened in South Africa, Japan, South Korea, China and Dubai. Following the musical’s phenomenal success on stage, a film of the musical was released in 2007 which starred John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer and James Marsden.

Director: Paul Kerryson

Choreographer: Drew McOnie

Set and Costume Designer: takis

Lighting Designer: Philip Gladwell

Sound Designer: Ben Harrison

Tickets:

Tickets are available in person at the Box Office on High Street West, from the Ticket Centre on 0844 871 3022* or online at www.ATGtickets.com/Sunderland*

*Calls cost up to 7p per minute plus your standard network charge. Booking fees may apply to telephone and online bookings