Norman Pace (ITV1’s The Hale and Pace Show) will play Wilbur Turnblad in the major UK tour of the smash hit musical Hairspray, opening at Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff this summer. He will be joined by Matt Rixon (The Ladykillers, Around the World in 80 Days) reprising his role as Edna Turnblad, musical theatre star Brenda Edwards (Chicago, We Will Rock You, The X Factor) returning as Motormouth Maybelle and Layton Williams (Bad Education, Rent) now starring as Seaweed. Gina Murray (Chicago and Full Monty) joins the cast as Velma Von Tussle with Jon Tsouras (Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, Crazy for You) once again playing Corny Collins; Edward Chitticks (On the Town, Mamma Mia) as Link Larkin; Aimee Moore as Amber Von Tussle; Annalise Liard-Bailey as Penny Pingleton and Monifa James as Little Inez. Rebecca Mendoza will make her professional debut as Tracy Turnblad.
Full cast includes: Lauren Concannon, Melissa Nettleford and Emily-Mae Walker as The Dynamites, Shay Barclay, Ben Darcy, George Hinson, Jordan Laviniere, Graham MacDuff, Lindsay McAllister, Tracey Penn and Freya Rowley.
Featuring the iconic music and lyrics by Academy Award, Tony and Emmy winning duo Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, this big, bold and beautiful production is choreographed by Olivier Award-winning Drew McOnie with direction from Paul Kerryson. This 37 week tour of the much loved musical based on the 1988 film follows the phenomenally successful 2016 UK tour which played to packed out houses and received public and critical acclaim across the country in 2015/16.
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.
CREATIVE TEAM
Director: Paul Kerryson
Choreographer: Drew McOnie
Set and Costume Designer: takis
Lighting Designer: Philip Gladwell
Sound Designer: Ben Harrison
BIOGRAPHIES
Matt Rixon (Edna Turnblad) trained at Webber Douglas. His theatre credits includes: Step Sister in Cinderella (Richmond Theatre); Bessie in Casa Valentina (Southwark Playhouse); Major Courtney in The Ladykillers (New Vic Theatre & UK Tour); Colonel Proctor in Around The World in 80 Days (New Vic & Royal Exchange Theatre); PC Pong in Aladdin (Wimbledon Theatre); See How They Run at York Theatre Royal; Merlin in The Legend of King Arthur at York Theatre Royal; Aladdin at Theatre at the O2 Arena; Jake Rush in The Governess (UK Tour); Malvolio in Twelfth Night at Chester Open Air Theatre; Roger Debris in The Producers at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane; The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe for the RSC in Stratford and at Sadler’s Wells; original cast of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at The London Palladium; a national tour of To Kill A Mockingbird; a national tour of The Canterbury Tales for Northern Broadsides; Buried Child at The Leicester Curve, Vampirette at The Manchester Opera House; Two at Oldham Colisseum; Endgame at The Liverpool Everyman; The Caretaker, The Crucible, Oh What a Lovely War, Twelfth Night and Four Nights in Knaresborough (MEN Best Actor nomination 2004) at the Bolton Octagon Theatre; Bouncers, Macbeth, The Three Musketeers and Kafka’s Dick at York Theatre Royal; To Reach for the Clouds and Burial at Thebes at Nottingham Playhouse and US tour; Dracula, The Three Musketeers, Thérèse Raquin and Tartuffe at the Haymarket, Basingstoke; Boy at the Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich; Shady Business at The Mill at Sonning; Cinderella and Aladdin at The Mayflower Theatre, Southampton.
Norman Pace (Wilbur Turnblad) is an award-winning comedian and actor who is widely recognized and beloved as half of the comedy duo, Hale & Pace. Hale & Pace began at Tramshed Theatre and went on to become The Hale & Pace Show (ITV) which won the Golden Rose of Montreux and Press Award. Other television credits include; Pushing up Daisy’s, Coming Next and The Management (Channel 4), Job’s for the Boy’s , Oddbods, Casuaulty (BBC), Pinch of Snuff (Yorkshire TV), The Last Detective, April Fools Day (ITV). Pace most recently appeared in One Man Two Guvnors and The Rocky Horror Show. He made his West End debut in Chicago (Adelphi Theatre). His other credits include Honk (UK Tour), A Slice of Saturday (Strand Theatre), Satin & Steel (Bolton Octagon), Breakfast with Johnny Wilkinson (2013), Much Ado About Nothing and Twelfth Night (Nottingham Castle), Donkey Years (UK Tour), Eurobeat, Our Man in Havana (Nottingham Playhosue), Murdered to Death (Theatre Cymru), Secret Garden (Edinburgh Festival Theatre), Murder by Misadventure (Tour), Dry Rot (Belgrade Theatre), Charley’s Aunt (Menier Chocolate Factory) and Annie Get Your Gun (Manchester Opera House).
Brenda Edwards (Motormouth Maybelle) shot to fame when she entered The X Factor in 2005. Since then, Brenda has gone on to grace the stage in; Chicago (Garrick Theatre), Cameron Jones (Royal Festival Hall), Galt MacDermot’s Human Comedy (Young Vic), We Will Rock You (Tour/Dominion Theatre). Brenda has made special guest appearances at the Brixton Academy, Cardiff Millennium Stadium at BBC Radio 2 with the BBC Concert Orchestra, she has also had the honour of supporting Smokey Robinson and Alexander O’Neil at Rochester Castle, with her 11 piece band. Other highlights include sold out concerts at Ronnie Scotts, London’s Pigalle Club, and at the Barbican with Brenda Edwards Gospel Christmas for Raymond Gubbay. Brenda has made several television appearances including; Loose Women, The Weakest Link, The Wright Stuff, ITV1 Sing if you can, and she was a regular correspondent on GMTV talking about all things X Factor.
Gina Murray (Velma Von Tussle) trained at Redroofs Theatre School. She recently returned to the role of Mama Morton in Chicago on the UK National Tour and in Singapore, having played her in the West End at the Cambridge Theatre in 2008 and then again, in 2009, and also on the China Tour. Other key theatre credits include; The Full Monty (Print of Wales Theatre), Fame (Cambridge Theatre), The Roy Orbison Story (Bill Kenwright) and One Touch of Venus, Broken Journey (Kings Head theatre) and A Christmas Carol (Lyceum Theatre). Gina appeared in Alex Jovy’s feature film Sorted (2000) and the follow up feature The Flirting Club (2009). Television and commercial credits include; Here Comes Treble (Comedy Central), Witless (BBC), Doctors (BBC), Eastenders (BBC), Judge John Deed (BBC), Teenage Kicks (Sky One), The Bill (ITV), Special K, Harper Collins, Littlewoods, TD Ameritrade. She has recorded many English Language Tapes, adverts, computer games and animations including Alice in Alice in Wonderland, Summer Camp and Scary Larry. Gina Murray is also a member is acoustic rock/pop group, WOMAN. Who released their first album called WOMANVILLE and recently toured with Earth, Wind & Fire and Billy Ocean, appearing at the Royal Albert Hall, amongst other prestigious venues across the UK.
Rebecca Mendoza (Tracy Turnblad) will be making her professional debut as the lead in the upcoming tour of Hairspray.
Jon Tsouras (Corny Collins) credits include: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, Crazy For You, Singing in the Rain, 42nd Street, A Chorus Line and one season at The Stratford Festival, where he performed in The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Gigi. Other theatre credits include: A Chorus Line (London Palladium), White Christmas (The Lowry, Salford, Theatre Royal, Plymouth & Mayflower, Southampton), Jesus Christ Superstar (National Arena Tour), Nikos/Padamadan in Legally Blonde (Savoy Theatre) directed by Jerry Mitchell, understudied and played Felicia in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (Palace Theatre), u/s Legolas and Haldir in The Lord of the Rings (Theatre Royal Drury Lane) directed by Matthew Warchus, My Fair Lady (National Tour) directed by Trevor Nunn, Starlight Express (Germany) and Saturday Night Fever (European Tour), Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Savoy Theatre) and My Fair Lady (BBC Proms/Royal Albert Hall).
Layton Williams (Seaweed) began his career at the age of 12 securing himself the title role of Billy in London's Billy Elliot. Layton then made his debut TV appearance as Kylie in Beautiful People (BBC). He attended the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts which was documented on School For Stars (CBBC). His most recent credits include Bad Education (BBC), The Bad Education Movie (2015), Thriller Live (Lyric Theatre), Rent (St. James Theatre/ UK Tour), Hairspray (UK Tour), The Car Man (Sadler’s Wells/Tour), Lord of the Flies (UK Tour).
Edward Chitticks (Link Larkin) trained at the Laine Theatre Arts. His theatre includes: On the Town (Regents Park Open Air Theatre); Mamma Mia (Novello Theatre); Peter Pan (High Wycombe and Dartford); 50th What’s on Stage Awards (Prince of Wales Theatre); Curtains the Musical and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (Laine Theatre Arts), Laine Leaps Ahead and Flying in at 40 (Epsom Playhouse). Other work includes: A Midsummer’s Dream and Moroccan Dreams for Tropics Skincare (NEC Birmingham) and music video ‘Crush on You’ by Nero.
Aimee Moore (Amber Von Tussle) trained at Laine Theatre Arts. Her most recent credits include Pacific Dawn and Pacific Eden (Grayboy); Snow White (Yvonne Arnaud, Guildford), Laine Leaps Ahead, Flying In At 40! and A Stair(e) At a Time (Epsom Playhouse), Singin’ In the Rain, Oliver, Chicago, Anything Goes, The Pyjama Game, Just So, Grease, Blood Brothers and Les Miserables all for Rattonians Youth. Film and television credits include Cassandra’s Crossing (2007), And When Did You Last See Your Father? (2007).
Annalise Liard-Bailey (Penny Pingleton) recently graduated from D&B Academy of Performing Arts. Most recently starred in Beauty and The Beast (The Grange Theatre, Hartford) and she has also appeared in the E4 television programme ‘Stage School’.
Monifa James (Little Inez) trained at Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts and will be graduating in July 2017 with a diploma in Musical Theatre. Performance credits include; ‘Jason Donovan – Ten Good Reasons and Greatest Hits UK Tour’ and ‘X Factor 2015’.
JOHN WATERS (Original Screenplay)
John Waters is an American film director, writer and artist who came to prominence in the 1970s and has built a reputation for shocking his audiences through his exploration of contemporary American culture. Noted for his collaborations with the late American drag performer Divine, John is sometimes referred to as the King of Bad Taste or the Pope of Trash. John is most well-known for his transgressive and cult films which include 1988’s original film Hairspray which starred Ricki Lake, Cry Baby which starred Johnny Depp, Pink Flamingos and Polyester. John has also written autobiographical works which include the hugely acclaimed Role Models and Carsick which chronicles his adventures hitchhiking across America. John also wrote and performed in the one-man show This Filthy World John was born in Baltimore, Maryland in 1946.
MARK O’DONNELL (Book)
Mark O’Donnell was a playwright, novelist and librettist who shared the 2003 Tony Award for Best Book for Hairspray with collaborator Thomas Meehan. Mark’s plays included That It, Folks!, Fables for Friends, The Nice and the Nasty and the musical Tots in Tinseltown. He also collaborated with Bill Irwin on an adaptation of Moliere's Scapin and co-authored a translation of Feydeau's A Flea in Her Ear.
DREW MCONIE (Choreography)
Drew McOnie is one of Britain's most sought after emerging director and choreographers. He is also the Artistic Director of The McOnie Company and an Associate Artist at The Old Vic. Drew won the 2016 Olivier Award for Best Theatre Choreographer for his work on In the Heights and he was nominated for the 2017 Olivier Award for Best Theatre Choreographer for Jesus Christ Superstar. Drew is currently choreographing and directing On the Town (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre) and Jack Thorne’s musical adaptation of King Kong for Broadway.
THOMAS MEEHAN (Book)
Thomas Meehan is a three-time Tony Award winner who is best known for his work on Annie, Hairspray and The Producers. Thomas has also written the books for Young Frankenstein, Elf, Chaplin, Cry-Baby, Bombay Dreams and Rocky. In addition to his work on stage Thomas is also a long-time contributor to The New Yorker and an Emmy Award-winning writer of television comedy.
MARC SHAIMAN (Music / Lyrics)
Marc composed the music and co-wrote the lyrics for the musical Hairspray with Scott Wittman. For their score, the pair won the Tony, Grammy and Olivier Awards. They teamed up again for Broadway’s Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me and Catch Me If You Can, for which Marc was a Tony Award® nominee for his orchestrations. Along with Scott Wittman, Marc also wrote the music and lyrics for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory which first opened at Theatre Royal Drury Lane in London and was directed by Academy Award winner Sam Mendes and is now playing at Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on Broadway under the direction of Jack O’Brien. They recently worked on a new television series for NBC, Smash. Marc is a five-time Academy Award® nominee for his scores and songs for the films Sleepless in Seattle, The First Wives Club, Patch Adams, The American President and South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut. Marc’s additional film credits include; When Harry Met Sally, Beaches, Misery, City Slickers, The Addams Family, A Few Good Men, Sister Act, George of the Jungle and The Bucket List. Marc received an Emmy Award for co-writing Billy Crystal’s medleys for The Academy Awards®. He was also Emmy-nominated for writing on Saturday Night Live (the Sweeney Sisters). His arrangements for Harry Connick Jr.brought him two Grammy nominations, as did the Hairspray soundtrack. As her music director and co-producer, Marc brought his long-time partner Bette Midler the Grammy winning songs “The Wind Beneath My Wings” and “From A Distance”. But it is their collaboration on her Emmy Award-winning performance for Johnny Carson’s penultimate Tonight Show that will always remain a highlight.
SCOTT WITTMAN (Lyrics)
Scott’s credits include directing and co-writing Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me on Broadway and on tour. Scott has created and directed two Broadway shows, three recordings, and two sold-out Carnegie Hall concerts for Patti LuPone. On television he has conceived and directed performances for Nathan Lane and Sarah Jessica Parker. He has co-written Neil Patrick Harris’ musical numbers for The Academy Awards® (Emmy Nomination), The Emmy’s, and the Emmy winning Tony Awards®. He has also co-created Christine Ebersole’s successful nightclub appearances. He has received the Tony, Grammy, Drama Desk, Outer Critics, Evening Standard and Olivier Award for his work as co-lyricist on Hairspray. On Broadway, he was the co-lyricist for the Tony Award® nominated musical Catch Me If You Can. Scott also wrote the lyrics to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory which first opened at Theatre Royal Drury Lane in London and was directed by Academy Award winner Sam Mendes and is now playing at Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on Broadway under the direction of Jack O’Brien. He recently worked on the NBC television series, Smash.
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2017 UK Tour
Hairspray
Dates and Venues:
16 - 26 August 2017
Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff
Bute Pl, Cardiff Bay CF10 5AL
ON SALE NOW
Box Office: 029 2063 6400
http://www.wmc.org.uk/
28 August – 9 September 2017
Orchard Theatre, Dartford
Home Gardens, Dartford, Kent, DA1 1ED
ON SALE NOW
Box office: 01322 220000
https://orchardtheatre.co.uk
11 – 16 September 2017
Dublin Bord Gais Energy Theatre, Dublin
Grand Canal Square, Dublin 2, Ireland
ON SALE NOW
Box Office: 353 1 677 7999
http://www.bordgaisenergytheatre.ie/
18 – 23 September 2017
Winter Gardens, Blackpool
97 Church St, Blackpool FY1 1HL
ON SALE NOW
Box Office: 01253 625252
http://www.wintergardensblackpool.co.uk/
25 -30 September 2017
The Empire, Sunderland
High Street West, Sunderland SR1 3EX
ON SALE NOW
Box Office: 0844 871 3022
http://www.atgtickets.com/venues/sunderland-empire/
2 – 7 October 2016
The Kings Theatre, Glasgow
297 Bath St, Glasgow G2 4JN
ON SALE NOW
Box Office: 0844 871 7648
http://www.atgtickets.com/venues/kings-theatre/
9-14 October 2017
Birmingham Hippodrome
Hurst St, Southside, Birmingham B5 4TB
ON SALE NOW
Box Office: 0844 338 5000
http://www.birminghamhippodrome.com/
16 – 21 October 2017
Curve Theatre, Leicester
ON SALE NOW
60 Rutland Street, Leicester, LE1 1SB
Box Office: 0116 242 3595
www.curveonline.co.uk
23 -28 October 2017
Opera House, Buxton
ON SALE NOW
Water St, Buxton SK17 6XN
Box Office: 01298 72190
http://buxtonoperahouse.org.uk/
30 October – 4 November 2017
Grand Opera House, Belfast
ON SALE NOW
2-4 Great Victoria St, Belfast BT2 7HR
Box Office: 028 9024 1919
https://www.goh.co.uk/
6 – 11 November 2017
Aylesbury Waterside Theatre, Aylesbury
ON SALE NOW
Exchange St, Aylesbury HP20 1UG
Box Office: 0844 871 7627
http://www.atgtickets.com/venues/aylesbury-waterside-theatre/
13 - 18 November 2017
Sands Centre, Carlisle
Newmarket Rd, Carlisle CA1 1JQ
ON SALE NOW
Box Office: 01228 633766
http://www.thesandscentre.co.uk/
20 - 25 November 2017
The Alhambra Theatre, Bradford
ON SALE NOW
Morley St, Bradford BD7 1AJ
Box Office: 01274 432000
http://www.bradford-theatres.co.uk/venues/the-alhambra-theatre
27 November – 2 December 2017
Guildford G Live
ON SALE NOW
London Road, Guildford, GU1 2AA
Box Office: 01483 369 350
https://glive.co.uk/Online/
15 - 20 January 2018
Theatre Royal, Plymouth
Royal Parade, Plymouth PL1 2TR
ON SALE NOW
Box Office: 01752 267222
http://www.theatreroyal.com/
22 - 27 January 2018
Mayflower Theatre, Southampton
22-26 Commercial Rd, Southampton SO15 1GE
ON SALE NOW
Box Office: 023 8071 1811
https://www.mayflower.org.uk/
29 January – 3 February 2018
The Lyceum, Sheffield
55 Norfolk St, Sheffield S1 1DA
ON SALE NOW
Box Office: 0114 249 6000
https://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/
5 - 10 February 2018
Eden Court, Inverness
Bishops Rd, Inverness IV3 5SA
ON SALE NOW
Box Office: 01463 239841
https://www.eden-court.co.uk/
12 - 24 February 2018
Theatre Royal, Nottingham
Theatre Square, Nottingham NG1 5ND
ON SALE NOW
Box Office: 0115 989 5555
https://trch.co.uk/
5 – 10 March 2018
Bristol Hippodrome, Bristol
St Augustine's Parade, Bristol BS1 4UZ
ON SALE NOW
Box Office: 0844 871 3012
http://www.atgtickets.com/venues/bristol-hippodrome/
12 - 17 March 2018
Edinburgh Playhouse, Edinburgh
18-22 Greenside Ln, Edinburgh
ON SALE NOW
Box Office: 0844 871 3014
http://www.atgtickets.com/venues/edinburgh-playhouse/
19 – 24 March 2018
His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen
Rosemount Viaduct, Aberdeen AB25 1GL
ON SALE NOW
Box Office: 01224 641122
http://www.aberdeenperformingarts.com/venues/his-majestys-theatre
26 March – 7 April 2018
Opera House, Manchester
3 Quay St, Manchester M3 3HP
ON SALE NOW
Box Office: 0844 871 3018
http://www.atgtickets.com/venues/opera-house-manchester/
9 – 14 April 2018
Milton Keynes Theatre, Milton Keynes
500 Marlborough Gate, Milton Keynes MK9 3NZ
ON SALE NOW
Box Office: 0844 871 7652
http://www.atgtickets.com/venues/milton-keynes-theatre/
16 - 21 April 2018
Empire Theatre, Liverpool
Lime St, Liverpool L1 1JE
ON SALE NOW
Box Office: 0151 702 7320
http://www.atgtickets.com/venues/liverpool-empire/
23 – 28 April 2018
Hull New Theatre, Hull
Kingston Square, Hull HU1 3HF
ON SALE NOW
Box Office: 01482 226 655
http://www.hcandl.co.uk/
30 April – 5 May 2018
Venue Cymru, Llandudno
The Promenade, Llandudno LL30 1BB
ON SALE NOW
Box Office: 01492 872000
https://venuecymru.co.uk/
8 - 12 May 2018
Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury
The Friars, Canterbury CT1 2AS
ON SALE NOW
Box Office: 01227 787787
http://www.marlowetheatre.com/
14 - 19 May 2018
Cliffs Pavilion, Southend
Station Rd, Southend-on-Sea SS0 7RA
ON SALE NOW
Box Office: 01702 351135
https://southendtheatres.org.uk
21 May – 26 May 2018
Wycombe Swan
St Mary St, High Wycombe, HP11 2XE
ON SALE NOW
Box Office: 01494 512 000
https://wycombeswan.co.uk/
