Dream big, girl, and keep those beats coming ‘cause Hairspray’s swelling up for an explosive musical revelation on June 11 to 16, 2024, LIVE here in Nashville’s Tennessee Performing Arts Center! High schooler Tracy Turnblad (Caroline Eiseman) has a bad case of starry eyes. The only cure? Twirling her way to overnight stardom at The Corny Collins Show! Behold our “pleasantly plump” dancing queen’s BIG dreams (and even BIGGER hair) in around two and a half hours of bombastic boogie that upholds equality and freedom of expression, tuned to classic hits, such as “Welcome to the 60’s” and “Good Morning Baltimore.” Hairspray’s 45-city North American tour reunites the original Broadway production’s creative forces, featuring Tony Award-winning director Jack O’Brien and choreographer Jerry Mitchell, with a score by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman and book by Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan. Don’t mess up your ‘do and move to the groove this summer in Nashville. Book your seats now!
Hairspray Tickets
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“If life were everything it should be, it would be more like Hairspray. It’s irresistible!” – The New York Times
“A powerful message of acceptance, equality, and inclusion.” – BroadwayWorld
Holy Moly! Hairspray’s turning North America into a wigged-up wonderland on its ongoing 2023-2024 tour, so better buckle up for a marvelous moussing! Winner of eight prestigious Tony Awards, Broadway’s most bodaciously bombastic musical will bring good old-fashioned comedy to over forty cities during its year-long roadshow adventure, with a Nashville detour scheduled from June 11 to 16 LIVE at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center.
Directed by three-time Tony Award winner Jack O’Brien, this early 21st-century classic is given a new shiny coat of wax through Jerry Mitchell’s original choreography, Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman’s score, and a book written by Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan.
1960s Baltimore isn’t looking to do any favors for the “pleasantly plump” teen queen Tracy Turnblad, but she’s already got her starry eyes set on a dream even her mountainous hair can’t dwarf! Tag along to our high school heroine’s plus-sized escapades as she rounds every corner with hefty downtown dance hits like “Good Morning Baltimore,” “Welcome to the 60’s,” and “You Can’t Stop the Beat!” The prize is clear — a spot in The Corny Collins Show — and Tracy’s gotta pull in all the stops if she wants to make some changes ‘round here. Size and color might be your problem, but they sure as hell ain’t hers!
“Keeps a smile on your face that even a shot of Ultra Clutch can’t blast away.” – The Oakland Press
Hairspray is a groovy, old-school musical that promotes freedom of expression and equality across races and genders. Become empowered by the show’s irresistible glitz and glamor in about 2 ½ hours of bouncy bops, elevated by the cast’s fantabulously vibrant performances.
THE CAST
- Greg Kalafatas as Edna Turnblad
- Caroline Eiseman as Tracy Turnblad
- Deidre Lang as Motormouth Maybelle
- 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
- Kaila Symone Crowder as Little Inez
- Micah Sauvageau as Male Authority Figure
- Emmanuelle Zeesman as Female Authority Figure
- Abigail Bensman as Brenda
- Ashia Collins as Dynamite
- Craig First as Brad/Dance Captain
- Gavin Guthrie as IQ
- Alyssa Jacqueline as Shelly
- Leiah Lewis as Pearl/Dynamite
- Christy Oberndorf as Tammy
- Kynnedi Moryae Porter as Cindy/Dynamite
- Caroline Purdy as Lou Ann
- Kalab Quinn as Duane
- Josiah Thomas Randolph as Thad
- Amy Rodriguez as Tracy Turnblad Standby
- Scott Silagy as Sketch
- Lilliannie Arie Urgent as Lorraine
- James Douglas Vinson as Fender
- Gabriel Yarborough as Gilbert
- Connor Buonaccorsi, Joshua James Crawford, Scoob Decker, Audrey Taylor Floyd, and Cara Torchia as Swings
THE CREATIVE TEAM
- Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan – Book
- Marc Shaiman – Music & Arrangements, Lyrics
- Scott Wittman – Lyrics
- Jack O’Brien – Original Director
- Jerry Mitchell – Original Choreographer
- Matt Lenz – Tour Director
- Robbie Roby – Tour Choreographer
- David Rockwell – Scenic Designer
- William Ivey Long – Costume Designer
- Paul Miller – Tour Lighting Designer
- Kenneth Posner – Lighting Designer
- Shannon Slaton – Sound Designer
- Patrick W. Lord – Video Designer
- Paul Huntley – Wigs & Hair Designer
- Bernie Ardia – Tour Wigs & Hair Designer
- Harold Wheeler – Orchestrations
- Keith Thompson – Music Supervisor
- JP Meyer – Music Coordinator
- Lizzie Webb – Music Director/Conductor
- Prather Productions – Casting
- Jess Levine – Production Stage Manager
- Sam Kronhaus – Assistant Stage Manager
- Marc Ciemiewicz – Resident Company Manager
- Timothe Bittle – Company Manager
- Kent Mcingvale & Company – Tour Press and Marketing
- The Booking Group – Tour Booking
- Lauren L. Sobon – Associate Producer
- Brian J. Enzman – Associate Producer
- Russell A. Thompson – Production Manager
- Ryan C. Parliment – General Manager
- William Prather – Executive Producer
- Apex Touring – Producer
“In Tracy’s story, she is being judged for her size and how she looks, and I think that the overarching theme is not to judge a book by its cover, whether that is a person’s weight, how they look, their race, or how they identify,” Skylar Shields, who plays Link Larkin, remarked.
Based on the eponymous 1988 movie by John Waters, Hairspray made its world premiere on Broadway at the Neil Simon Theatre in 2002, where it ran for over six years and more than 2,600 performances. A smashing hit in both box-office and critic boards, the production took the 2003 award season by storm with eight Tony Awards and ten Drama Desk Awards snatched, including wins across major categories covering book, score, and direction.
This universal acclaim culminated in a 2007 West End engagement and a subsequent 2021 revival, with the original run winning four Laurence Olivier Awards out of 11 nominations. Hairspray would also lead to several other tours and productions, both local and overseas, which include stints in Canada, Australia, South Africa, the Philippines, Brazil, Germany, Japan, Hong Kong, and more.
“With catchy music, bright colors and lively dancing, it’s difficult for audiences not to be immediately hooked.” – Appleton Post Crescent
“A feel-good, uplifting musical.” – Spectrum News
In 2007, the same year as the first West End series, the musical conquered the big screen as a multi-awarded rom-com film featuring John Travolta, Nikki Blonsky, and Michelle Pfeiffer. It garnered widespread commercial and critical success and is now often regarded as one of the greatest musical films of all time.
Throw biology and geometry out the window, and don’t be obtuse ‘cause Hairspray’s here to answer all your pretty little questions, like where to watch it this summer season: At the Tennessee Performing Arts Center LIVE from June 11 to 16, 2024. Get your tickets now!