Hairspray Musical is Coming to Little Rock

Hairspray, the musical is coming to the Arkansas Repertory Theatre in Little Rock. The show will be running from June 6-23.

Introduction

The Hairspray musical is coming to Little Rock, Arkansas! This popular show is based on the 1988 John Waters film, and follows the story of Tracy Turnblad, a teenage girl who dreams of dancing on a local TV dance show. The show features catchy songs, high-energy dancing, and a positive message about acceptance and tolerance.

What is Hairspray?

Hairspray is a musical with a book by Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan, lyrics by Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman and music by Shaiman. The story follows Tracy Turnblad, a plump teenager who wins a spot on a local TV dance show and becomes a celebrity overnight. She uses her newfound fame to fight for the integration of her high school and the acceptance of people of all colors and sizes in an era when segregation is still the law of the land.

The original 1988 Broadway production won eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and the 2002 film adaptation won an Academy Award for Best Original Song (“I Can Hear the Bells”). Hairspray has been adapted into several foreign language productions, including a successful 2007 West End production which won five Laurence Olivier Awards, and a 2006 broadcast of a Japanese language production on NHK.

The Plot of Hairspray

Hairspray is a musical based on the 1988 John Waters film of the same name. The plot centers on Tracy Turnblad, a plus-size teenager who dreams of dancing on The Corny Collins Show, a local television dance program in Baltimore, Maryland. When Tracy gets her wish, she becomes an overnight sensation, and uses her newfound fame to fight for racial equality on the show.

The Characters of Hairspray

Hairspray is a 2007 American musical comedy film based on the 2002 Broadway musical of the same name, which in turn was based on John Waters’s 1988 film Hairspray. The film was a joint production of New Line Cinema and Lakeshore Entertainment, directed and choreographed by Adam Shankman, and produced by Craig Zadan and Neil Meron. Set in 1962 Baltimore, Maryland, the film follows the “pleasantly plump” teenager Tracy Turnblad as she auditions to be on a local TV dance program and becomes a local celebrity overnight. When Tracy wins a role on the show, she becomes a target of buffoonish obese male chauvinist radio host station manager Velma Von Tussle, who attempts to sabotage Tracy’s chances of winning the annual Miss Teenage Hairspray pageant.

Characters:
-Tracy Turnblad: A “pleasantly plump” teenager who dreams of dancing on The Corny Collins Show.
-Link Larkin: A heartthrob dancer on The Corny Collins Show
-Amber von Tussle: The “mean girl” dancer on The Corny Collins Show and Velma’s daughter.
-Penny Pingleton: Tracy’s best friend who joins her in campaigning for racial integration.
-Seaweed J. Stubbs: A talented African American teenager who befriends Tracy and helps her integrate The Corny Collins Show.
-Motormouth Maybelle: Seaweed’s mother and a R&B record shop owner/ DJ.

The Music of Hairspray

Hairspray is heading to Little Rock! The musical will be at the Robinson Performance Hall from March 28-30. The show is based on the 1988 John Waters film and features a score by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman.

Hairspray has been a Broadway hit since it opened in 2002, winning eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical. The musical was also made into a film in 2007, starring John Travolta, Queen Latifah, and Nikki Blonsky.

If you’re a fan of the movie or the musical, you won’t want to miss this production!

The History of Hairspray

Hairspray is a musical with music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Scott Wittman and Shaiman and a book by Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan, based on the 1988 John Waters film Hairspray. The songs include 1960s-style dance music and “downtown” rhythm and blues. In 1962 Baltimore, Maryland, plump teenager Tracy Turnblad’s dream is to dance on The Corny Collins Show, a local TV dance program based on the real-life Buddy Deane Show. When Tracy wins a role on the show, she becomes a celebrity overnight and uses her newfound power to dethrone the reigning Teen Queen, win oodles of admirers—including heartthrob Link Larkin—and integrate a TV network… all without denting her ‘do!

The Reception of Hairspray

When Hairspray hit theaters in 2007, it was met with critical acclaim. The film was a commercial success, grossing over $200 million worldwide, and won several awards, including an Academy Award for Best Original Song (“You Can’t Stop the Beat”).

The musical adaptation of Hairspray premiered on Broadway in 2002 and went on to win eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical. The show has been performed all over the world and was recently made into a TV movie starring Kristin Chenoweth and Harvey Fierstein.

Now, the musical is coming to Little Rock! The production will be at the Robinson Center from June 13-18. Tickets go on sale April 14.

Hairspray in Little Rock

The musical Hairspray will be making its Arkansas debut at the Robinson Center Music Hall in Little Rock from February 12-17, 2019. The musical is based on the 1988 John Waters film of the same name, and tells the story of teenager Tracy Turnblad as she navigates the world of 1960s Baltimore.

Hairspray features a Tony Award-winning score by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, and includes such hits as “Good Morning Baltimore,” “You Can’t Stop the Beat,” and “Welcome to the 60s.” The musical was nominated for 13 Tony Awards in 2003, winning eight, including Best Musical.

This will be the first time that Hairspray has been performed in Arkansas. Tickets go on sale December 14 and can be purchased at the Robinson Center box office or through Ticketmaster. For more information, visit https://www.littlerockmeetings.com/hair-spray/.

Conclusion

The decision was made after nearly two months of deliberations and it is hoped that the show will be a success. The creative team behind Hairspray is no stranger to success, having won numerous Tony Awards and critical acclaim.

Further Reading

The classic musical “Hairspray” is coming to Little Rock for a limited engagement! Based on the 1988 film of the same name, “Hairspray” is set in Baltimore in the 1960s and follows the story of teenager Tracy Turnblad as she navigates race relations and integrations while trying to win a local dancing competition. The show features catchy songs and innovative choreography, and has won numerous Tony Awards, including Best Musical.

If you’re interested in seeing “Hairspray” while it’s in Little Rock, tickets are available now. The show will be running from June 12-17 at the Arkansas Repertory Theatre. For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit their website.