Hairspray (musical)
Hairspray is an American musical with music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Scott Wittman and Shaiman and a book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan, based on John Waters’s 1988 film of the same name. 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, leading to social change as Tracy campaigns for the show's integration.
The musical opened in Seattle in 2002 and moved to Broadway later that year. In 2003 Hairspray won eight Tony Awards, including one for Best Musical, out of 13 nominations. It ran for 2,642 performances, and closed on January 4, 2009. Hairspray has also had national tours, a West End production, and numerous foreign productions and was adapted as a 2007 musical film. The London production was nominated for a record-setting eleven Laurence Olivier Awards, winning four, including Best New Musical.
Background
According to interviews included as an extra feature on the 2007 film's DVD release, theatre producer Margo Lion first conceived of Hairspray as a stage musical in 1998 after seeing the original film on television. "I was home looking at a lot of movies, and one of those movies was Hairspray." She contacted John Waters, who gave her his blessing, then acquired the rights from New Line Cinema. Lion contacted Marc Shaiman, who expressed interest in the project only if his partner Scott Wittman could participate, and Lion agreed. The two enlisted the help of actress and singer Annie Golden to produce a demo recording containing three songs, one of which, "Good Morning Baltimore," eventually became the show's opening number. Based on their initial work, Lion felt confident that she had hired the right team.Lion contacted Rob Marshall about directing the musical. At the time he was involved in negotiations to direct the screen adaptation of Chicago, but he agreed to become involved in the early development stages of Hairspray with the stipulation he would drop out if assigned the film. Marshall remembered Marissa Jaret Winokur from her brief appearance in the film American Beauty and arranged a meeting with Shaiman and Wittman. The two immediately felt she was right for the role of Tracy Turnblad but hesitated to commit without seeing any other auditions. They hired Winokur to work with them on the project with the understanding she might be replaced later. One year later, Winokur was diagnosed with cervical cancer. Certain she would lose the role if the creative team learned about her condition, she underwent a hysterectomy without telling anyone but her immediate family. The treatment and surgery succeeded, and Winokur returned to the project. Meanwhile, Marshall had started work on Chicago, and Lion hired Jack O'Brien and Jerry Mitchell to direct and to choreograph, respectively. Winokur was one of the first to audition for the role of Tracy Turnblad and spent two years preparing with voice and dance lessons. Tracy's mother had been portrayed by Divine in the original film, and Shaiman liked the idea of maintaining the tradition of casting a male as Edna Turnblad. Harvey Fierstein auditioned for the role with a "half-hour vocal audition". He thought they were "pacifying" him, but he was told "they don't want anyone but you".
According to Shaiman, one song, "I Know Where I've Been," became controversial during the genesis of the score:
This was... inspired by a scene late in the movie that takes place on the black side of town. It never dawned on us that a torrent of protest would follow us from almost everyone involved with the show. 'It's too sad.... It's too preachy.... It doesn't belong.... Tracy should sing the eleven o'clock number.' We simply didn't want our show to be yet another show-biz version of a civil rights story where the black characters are just background. And what could be more Tracy Turnblad-like than to give the 'eleven o'clock number' to the black family at the heart of the struggle? Luckily... the audiences embraced this moment, which enriches the happy ending to follow, and it is our proudest achievement of the entire experience of writing Hairspray."
Productions
Original Broadway production
After a successful tryout at Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre, Hairspray opened on Broadway at the Neil Simon Theatre on August 15, 2002. Jack O'Brien directed the production, which Jerry Mitchell choreographed, with set design by David Rockwell, costume design by William Ivey Long, lighting design by Kenneth Posner, sound design by Steve C. Kennedy, and the many distinctive wigs in the show by Paul Huntley. The performances were conducted by Lon Hoyt, with approximately 15 musicians. The original Broadway cast included Marissa Jaret Winokur and Harvey Fierstein in the lead roles of Tracy and Edna respectively. The cast also featured Matthew Morrison as Link, Laura Bell Bundy as Amber, Kerry Butler as Penny, Linda Hart as Velma, Mary Bond Davis as Motormouth Maybelle, Corey Reynolds as Seaweed, Jackie Hoffman as Matron, Dick Latessa as Wilbur, and Clarke Thorell as Corny Collins. Kamilah Marshall, Shayna Steele, and Judine Richard played the Dynamites.Hairspray received Tony Award nominations in 13 categories, winning eight, including for best musical, book, score and direction. Winokur, Fierstein and Latessa received awards for their performances. The production ran for more than six years, closing on January 4, 2009 after 2,642 performances. Thorell returned to the cast for the final ten months. Fierstein and Winokur returned to the cast for the final performances.
Original London production
The West End production opened at the Shaftesbury Theatre on October 11, 2007, for previews before its official opening on October 30. Michael Ball played Edna, with Mel Smith as Wilbur Turnblad, newcomer Leanne Jones as Tracy, Tracie Bennett as Velma, Paul Manuel as Corny Collins, Rachael Wooding as Amber, Elinor Collett as Penny, and Ben James-Ellis as Link. The original creative team of the Broadway production, with the director Jack O'Brien and choreographer Jerry Mitchell, reunited for the London production. The show garnered a record-setting eleven Olivier Award nominations and won for Best New Musical, as well as acting awards for Best Actress and Actor in a musical. The production closed on March 28, 2010 after a run of nearly two-and-a-half years and over 1,000 performances.2021 London revival
The production was due return to the West End at the London Coliseum for a limited 18-week season from 23 April to 29 August 2020. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic causing all public theatres to close indefinitely from mid March, the production was initially delayed to 1 September to 8 November, and has since been delayed again to 22 April to 28 August 2021.Michael Ball will reprise his Olivier Award-winning role as Edna Turnblad, reuniting him with the original director Jack O'Brien and choreographer Jerry Mitchell. Full casting announced in January 2020, included Lizzie Bea, who will play Tracy, Marisha Wallace who will play Motormouth Maybelle, Paul Merton who makes his West End debut as Wilbur Turnblad, Rita Simons as Velma Von Tussle and Johnny Amies as Link Larkin.
Original Australian production
Australian production of Hairspray opened in Melbourne at the Princess Theatre on October 2, 2010 to critical acclaim. It was directed by David Atkins and choreographed by So You Think You Can Dance Australia judge Jason Coleman. The show moved to Sydney from June 23, 2011. The cast included Jaz Flowers as Tracy, Trevor Ashley as Edna, Jack Chambers as Link, and Tevin Campbell reprising his role from the Broadway production as Seaweed J. Stubbs. Atkins redesigned the production using new technologies. The set used enormous LED screens, which moved around the stage in various combinations, as the characters interacted with animated landscapes generated across the screens. The musical opened at Sydney's Lyric Theatre at The Star Casino on 11 June 2011 and closed on 25 September 2011, two weeks earlier than anticipated, ending its Australian run.Tours
The first U.S. national tour started a run in September 2003 in Baltimore and ended in June 2006. It starred Carly Jibson as Tracy, Bruce Vilanch as Edna, Terron Brooks as Seaweed, Sandra DeNise as Penny, Susan Cella as Velma, and Ramona Cole as Motormouth Maybelle. When the tour stopped in Los Angeles, Winokur reprised her role as Tracy, together with the original Broadway Link, Matthew Morrison. The same creative team of Jack O'Brien and Jerry Mitchell were at the helm. Lon Hoyt served as music supervisor. Jim Vukovich served as music director for the entire 33 months on the road.In July 2006, a non-Equity U.S. and Asian tour opened in Atlantic City's Harrah's Casino. The shorter "casino version" was used for a six-week run, but when the tour moved on, it continued with the full version of the show minus the character of Lorraine. The production starred Brooklynn Pulver as Tracy, Jerry O'Boyle as Edna, Dan Ferretti as Wilbur, Constantine Rousouli as Link, Christian Dante White as Seaweed, Alyssa Malgeri as Penny, Jarret Mallon as Corny, Happy McPartlin as Velma, Pearl Thomas as Amber, and Yvette Clark as Motormouth Maybelle.
The tour played sit down engagements in Tokyo, Shanghai and Beijing. It played its final performance on April 25, 2010 at the Fox Performing Arts Center in Riverside, California.
After the West End production closed, Hairspray began touring the UK and Ireland, starting at the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff on April 7, 2010, following previews from March 30. The tour stars Michael Ball as Edna, alternating with Michael Starke and Brian Conley; Les Dennis, Nigel Planer and Micky Dolenz alternating as Wilbur and Laurie Scarth as Tracy.
Hairspray toured the UK and Ireland in 2013. The show opened on February 13 in The Lowry Theatre in Manchester with Mark Benton playing Edna Turnblad, Lucy Benjamin playing Velma Von Tussle, Marcus Collins as Seaweed Stubbs and Freya Sutton as Tracy Turnblad, respectively. MM Musicals presented the show at FairfieldHalls, Croydon, in the Ashcroft Theatre, from 19–22 November 2014, with Corin Miller as Tracy, Andy Lingfield as Edna, and Natalie Cave as Penny.
Mark Goucher produced a Hairspray tour in the UK from September 2015, starting at the Curve, Leicester. The production return at the end of summer 2017 to once again tour the UK, starring Norman Pace as Wilbur, Brenda Edwards as Motormouth, Layton Williams and newcomer Rebecca Mendoza as Tracy. The Curve production and subsequent tours were directed by Paul Kerryson with choreography by Drew McOnie.
The production will tour the UK and Ireland once again in 2021.
Other productions
;Las VegasA Las Vegas production ran at the Luxor Hotel in 2006 starring Katrina Rose Dideriksen as Tracy, Austin Miller as Link, and Fierstein and Latessa reprising their roles as Edna and Wilbur. This ninety-minute version was played in one act. Cut songs included "The Big Dollhouse", " Miss Baltimore Crabs", "Velma's Revenge", "Good Morning Baltimore ", and "Cooties".
;Royal Caribbean International
Royal Caribbean International presented the show on their first Oasis Class ship MS Oasis of the Seas, which made its maiden voyage in December 2009. The show was performed in the ship's 1350 seat Opal Theater three times on each seven-night cruise but was later replaced with Cats The Musical.
In 2018 the MS Symphony of the Seas made its maiden voyage, and due to multiple requests, Hairspray was added as a show. The show is still being performed in the present, in one act, restoring " Miss Baltimore Crabs" but like the Las Vegas version omitting "The Big Dollhouse", "Velma's Revenge", "Good Morning Baltimore ", and "Cooties". The second verse of "It Takes Two" was also omitted. This show includes multiple uses of technology, combined with a company of singers and dancers. It is usually performed 3 or 4 times a week, along with a Royal Caribbean Production called “Flight: Dare to Dream”.
U.S. regional premiere
The Riverton Arts Council in Riverton, Utah, performed the U.S. regional premiere at the Sandra N. Lloyd Performing Arts Center from July 30 to August 21, 2010.;Hollywood Bowl
Production at the Hollywood Bowl ran from August 5–7, 2011, directed and choreographed by Jerry Mitchell. Original Broadway cast members Fierstein and Winokur reprised their roles as Edna and Tracy Turnblad. The cast also featured Corbin Bleu, Drew Carey, Diana DeGarmo, Mo Gaffney, Nick Jonas, Darlene Love, Susan Anton, and John Stamos.
International productions
The first international production opened in Toronto at the Princess of Wales Theatre in April 2004 and ran for 245 performances. Vanessa Olivarez, a former American Idol contestant, starred as Tracy, and Jay Brazeau starred as Edna.A South African production opened in Johannesburg in October 2007 with the original direction and choreography recreated by Matt Lenz and Greg Graham. New set and costume designs were by Michael Bottari and Ronald Case. A production in Buenos Aires, Argentina, opened on July 16, 2008 starring Enrique Pinti as Edna. The role of Tracy was cast through a reality-competition show called Yo Quiero Ser la Protagonista de Hairspray.
On November 14, 2008, a production of Hairspray in Manila in the Philippines, starring Madel Ching as Tracy and Michael de Mesa as Edna. The production closed on December 7, 2008. On July 10, 2009, a Brazilian production opened in Rio de Janeiro, starring Simone Gutierrez as Tracy and Edson Celulari as Edna. A 2010 Brazilian tour stopped in São Paulo, Brasilia, Curitiba and Porto Alegre.
A Dutch production ran during the 2009/2010 season. Edna Turnblad was played by Arjan Ederveen and Link was Jim Bakkum. On December 6, 2009 a German production opened in Cologne. Edna is played alternately by Uwe Ochsenknecht and comedian Tetje Mierendorf. Tracy is played by Maite Kelly, a former member of The Kelly Family and Penny is Jana Stelley. The first production of Hairspray in the German language, however, took place at the Theater St. Gallen, Switzerland. A re-creation of the Broadway/West End production of the show opened in Dubai in July 2010 with Leanne Jones, from the West End production, reprising her role as Tracy and Antony Stuart-Hicks as Edna.
A Japanese production will run at the Toshima Arts and Culture Theatre, Tokyo in June 2020. It will feature Naomi Watanabe as Tracy Turnblad, Yuichiro Yamaguchi as Edna Turnblad, Zen Ishikawa as Wilbur Turnblad, Crystal Kay as Motormouth Maybelle, Jun Sena as Velma Von Tussle, Kohei Ueguchi as Corny Collins, Kurumi Shimizu as Penny Pingleton, Hiroki Miura as Link Larkin, Soichi Hirama as Seaweed J. Stubbs and Meimi Tamura as Amber Von Tussle.
Other productions opened in Canada, Finland, Japan, South Korea, Italy, St. Gallen, Switzerland and Brazil. The musical also played in Shanghai, China, at the Shanghai Grand Theatre in July 2008 and Stockholm, Sweden in September 2008. Other productions are planned for France, Israel, Denmark, Iceland, Norway and Mexico. Hairspray has been translated into German, Finnish, Spanish, Japanese, Korean, Italian, Portuguese, French and Hebrew.
There was a production which was performed in the Hong Kong Cultural Center, by a performing arts company called Face Production. They won an HK Heckler Award for Best Musical, Best Actress and Best Set Design.
School adaptation
In August 2008, the British television channel Sky 1 began broadcasting , which followed the development of a North London comprehensive school's production of Hairspray from audition to performance, with input from various actors and creatives, including members of the Broadway production team and the West End cast.The first amateur MTI production was produced at the French Woods Festival of the Performing Arts in the summer of 2008. The Junior version released by MTI excludes the musical numbers "I Can Hear the Bells", " Miss Baltimore Crabs", "Velma's Revenge", "You're Timeless to Me", and "Big, Blonde, and Beautiful".
NBC Live Television
Hairspray was the next live musical to be produced by NBC, and was broadcast on December 7, 2016. Newcomer Maddie Baillio was chosen to play Tracy Turnblad. Jennifer Hudson and Harvey Fierstein starred as Motormouth Maybelle and Edna Turnblad, respectively. Martin Short portrayed Wilbur Turnblad and Derek Hough played Corny Collins. Kristin Chenoweth starred as Velma Von Tussle, and Ariana Grande played the role of Penny Pingleton. The roles of Amber Von Tussle, Link Larkin, and Seaweed J. Stubbs were played by Dove Cameron, Garrett Clayton, and Ephraim Sykes, respectively. Sean Hayes portrayed Mr Pinky, and Rosie O'Donnell played the gym teacher.Synopsis
Act I
It is June 1962 in Baltimore. Tracy Turnblad, an overweight high school student, wakes up and goes to school, where she receives a warning for "inappropriate hair height". After school, Tracy rushes home with her best friend, Penny, to catch the local teenage dance show, The Corny Collins Show. Edna, Tracy's shy and overweight mother, is ironing and complains about the noise of the music coming from the television, while Penny's mother, Prudy, complains about it being race music. After an announcement that auditions for a place on the show will be held due to the fact that Brenda has taken a leave of absence from the show for "9 months", Tracy begs her mother for permission to audition. Edna, fearing that Tracy will be laughed at due to her weight, refuses. Penny and Amber have similar arguments with their mothers.After gaining permission and support from her father, Wilbur, Tracy auditions for the show and bumps into a teenage heartthrob, Link Larkin, which leads into a dream sequence. Velma Von Tussle, the racist producer of The Corny Collins Show, rejects Tracy from the audition because of her size, as well as refusing a black girl, Little Inez.
Back at school, Tracy is sent to detention for her "monumental hair-don't". There she meets black dancer Seaweed J. Stubbs, who teaches her several dance moves. She uses the new dance steps at the Sophomore Hop the following day to introduce herself to Corny Collins. When Corny sees how well Tracy can dance, he gives her a place on the show. During the broadcast, Link, following Corny's suggestion, sings "It Takes Two" to Tracy, much to Amber's dismay. After the show, Mr Spritzer, the show's worrisome sponsor, appeals to Velma over Tracy's appointment to the Council. Velma, threatening to fire Corny from the show, is eventually left distraught and determines to ruin Tracy.
At the Turnblad house, Edna is receiving calls from fans who saw Tracy on the show. A call comes in from Mr Pinky, the owner of a plus-size dress shop, for an endorsement. Tracy pleads with her mother to come with her and to act as her agent although Edna has not left their apartment in years. Finally making it outside, Edna is given a huge makeover and Tracy becomes the spokes-girl for the shop. At school, signs of Tracy's fame are evident in the schoolyard, with graffiti on the walls and Shelly, another Council Member sporting Tracy's signature hairdo. During a game of dodge ball, a jealous Amber knocks Tracy out, and Link rushes to her side. Penny and Seaweed, who have developed a liking for each other, rush to fetch the school nurse, only to find her out sick. Seaweed, suggesting that some fun would make Tracy feel better, invites all of them to his mother's record shop for a platter party.
At the shop, Tracy rallies everyone to march against the station on the following day's Mother-Daughter Day, as blacks are not allowed on the show except for the monthly Negro Day. Before they start, Motormouth Maybelle convinces the initially reluctant Edna and Wilbur to march as well. Link declined to participate for the sake of his contract with the show. During the protest, led by Motormouth, Velma calls the police and fights break out. When the police arrive on the scene, almost everyone is arrested.
Act II
After the march, most of the women are locked up in a women's penitentiary. Because of Velma's dirty tactics, the governor pardons and releases her and Amber. Wilbur bails out the remaining people, excluding Tracy who is forced to remain in jail through another one of Velma's manipulations. Tracy is alone and wishes that Link could be with her. Back at the Har-De-Har Hut, Wilbur and Edna are left destitute because of the money it cost them to bail everyone out and with Tracy still in prison. Edna sympathizes with her daughter's dream – she had dreamt of making her "own line of queen-sized dress patterns". Edna and Wilbur reminisce about their past and how they can never be parted from each other.During the night, Link sneaks into the jail where he finds Tracy in solitary confinement. As Link and Tracy reunite, Penny's mother, Prudy, punishes Penny for "going to jail without her permission" and ties her up in her bedroom where Seaweed comes to her rescue. Both couples declare their love for one another. After escaping from their respective prisons, the couples seek refuge at Motormouth Maybelle's Record Shop. Tracy thinks that it is unfair that after all of their hard work, The Corny Collins Show is still segregated. They devise a plan to help integrate the show, and Motormouth remembers their long fight for equality.
On the day of the Miss Teenage Hairspray competition, Corny Collins starts the show with a song. Amber shows off her talents in a bid to get more votes from the viewers. Just as the results are about to be announced, Tracy stuns Amber as she makes her entrance in a magenta dress without any petticoat underneath, taking over the stage, and is joined by Link, Penny, Seaweed, Edna, Wilbur, Little Inez, Corny, and Motormouth. Tracy is declared the winner of the competition. Amber and Velma protest the results, claiming that it is all wrong. Little Inez then tries to take the crown by force when Amber refuses to hand it over, but Tracy stops her, claiming that her heart is set on something more important, which is Link and her future. She then proclaims the Corny Collins show is "now and forevermore" racially integrated, to much applause. When all is announced, Mr. Spritzer runs onstage thrilled with the public's response to the telecast and announces that the governor has pardoned Tracy and gave her a full college scholarship and he offers Link a recording contract and Velma the position of vice president of Ultra Glow – beauty products for women of colour, much to the latter's chagrin. Prudy arrives at the station and, seeing how happy Penny is with Seaweed, accepts her daughter for who she is. At the height of the moment, the company invites Amber and Velma to join the celebration. With the station in joyous celebration, Tracy and Link cement their love with a kiss.
Characters
Principal roles and casts of major productions of stage productions of Hairspray:| Character | Description | Original Broadway cast | Notable subsequent performers in noteworthy productions |
| Tracy Turnblad | The female lead of Hairspray. A "pleasantly plump" teenager, who dreams of fame and fights to racially integrate The Corny Collins Show. | Marissa Jaret Winokur | Kathy Brier, Shannon Durig, Marissa Perry, Leanne Jones |
| Edna Turnblad | Tracy's kind, plus-sized mother – a drag role. Edna runs a laundry business out of her home. | Harvey Fierstein | Michael McKean, Bruce Vilanch, John Pinette, Paul C. Vogt, George Wendt, Michael Ball, Brian Conley, Phill Jupitus, Trevor Ashley |
| Wilbur Turnblad | Tracy's goofy, loving and encouraging father, who owns the Har-De-Har Hut joke shop and is still madly in love with his wife, Edna. He encourages Tracy to follow her dreams. | Dick Latessa | Jere Burns, Jerry Mathers, Jim J. Bullock, Stephen DeRosa, Drew Carey, Mel Smith, Nigel Planer, Micky Dolenz, Grant Piro, Paul Merton |
| Motormouth Maybelle | The sassy, strong-willed and friendly owner of a downtown record shop and the host of "Negro Day" on The Corny Collins Show, self-described as "big, blonde and beautiful". | Mary Bond Davis | Darlene Love, Jenifer Lewis, Sharon D Clarke, Marisha Wallace |
| Velma Von Tussle | The villainess of Hairspray. Amber's scheming mother and producer of The Corny Collins Show, who pushes her daughter to seek the stardom that she never had. | Linda Hart | Liz Larsen, Barbara Walsh, Isabel Keating, Michele Pawk, Mary Birdsong, Karen Mason, Susan Anton, Tracie Bennett, Liz Robertson, Belinda Carlisle, Siobhán McCarthy, Rita Simons |
| Corny Collins | The glib, polished host of The Corny Collins Show, with one eye on social progress and another on his hair. | Clarke Thorell | Lance Bass, Jonathan Dokuchitz, John Stamos |
| Link Larkin | A teenage heartthrob and one of The Corny Collins Show Council Members, who unexpectedly falls in love with Tracy. | Matthew Morrison | Richard H. Blake, Andrew Rannells, Ashley Parker Angel, Aaron Tveit, Nick Jonas, Ben James-Ellis, Jack Chambers |
| Penny Pingleton | Tracy's slightly dorky, devoted and perky best friend who comes from a very strict home life. She has her own love story with Seaweed Stubbs. | Kerry Butler | Jennifer Gambatese, Tracy Miller, Diana DeGarmo, Caissie Levy, Alexa Vega, Verity Rushworth, Esther Hannaford |
| Seaweed J. Stubbs | A hip and kind-hearted "Negro Day" dancer and the son of Motormouth Maybelle who falls in love with Penny. | Corey Reynolds | Chester Gregory II, Tevin Campbell, Corbin Bleu |
| Amber Von Tussle | Bratty, selfish resident princess of The Corny Collins Show, despite her lack of talent. She is willing to do anything to win the Miss Teenage Hairspray pageant. | Laura Bell Bundy | Becky Gulsvig, Haylie Duff, Ashley Spencer, Aubrey O'Day, Rachael Wooding |
| Prudy Pingleton / Gym Teacher / Matron | Prudy Pingleton, Penny's overprotective and bigoted mother; the Gym Teacher, and The Matron guarding The Big Dollhouse. | Jackie Hoffman | Julie Halston, Susan Mosher, Mo Gaffney |
| Harriman F. Spritzer / Principal / Mr. Pinky | Mr. Harriman F. Spritzer, the President of Ultra Clutch; and Principal of Patterson Park High School; Mr. Pinky, owner of Mr. Pinky's Hefty Hideaway who gives Tracy and Edna a makeover. | Joel Vig | Jim J. Bullock, Kevin Meaney, Michael McDonald |
| Little Inez | Seaweed's talented younger sister. | Danielle Eugenia Wilson | Naturi Naughton |
Musical numbers
;Act I- "Good Morning Baltimore" – Tracy and Ensemble
- "The Nicest Kids in Town" – Corny and Council Members
- "Mama, I'm a Big Girl Now" – Edna, Tracy, Prudy, Penny, Velma, Amber, and Female Ensemble
- "I Can Hear the Bells" – Tracy and Ensemble
- " Miss Baltimore Crabs" – Velma and Council Members
- "The Nicest Kids in Town "† – Corny, Tracy, and Council Members
- "It Takes Two" – Link, Tracy, and Male Ensemble
- "Velma's Revenge"† – Velma
- "Welcome to the '60s" – Tracy, Edna, The Dynamites, Mr. Pinky, and Ensemble
- "Run and Tell That!" – Seaweed, Little Inez, and Motormouth Kids
- "Big, Blonde and Beautiful" – Motormouth, Little Inez, Tracy, Edna, Wilbur, and Ensemble
- "The Big Dollhouse" – Matron, Edna, Velma, Tracy, Amber, Penny, Motormouth, Little Inez, and Female Ensemble
- "Good Morning Baltimore " – Tracy
- " Timeless to Me" – Edna and Wilbur
- " Timeless to Me "† - Edna and Wilbur
- "Without Love" – Tracy, Link, Penny, Seaweed, and Ensemble
- "I Know Where I've Been" – Motormouth and Ensemble
- " Hairspray" – Corny and Council Members
- "Cooties" – Amber and Council Members
- "You Can't Stop the Beat" – Tracy, Link, Penny, Seaweed, Edna, Wilbur, Motormouth, Velma, Amber, and Company
Score revisions and additional songs
Hairspray went through several revisions during its pre-Broadway run in Seattle, in the process eliminating and replacing several musical numbers. In Seattle, an infomercial about safety on the road titled "Blood on the Pavement" followed "The Nicest Kids in Town", and is included on the cast album following "You Can't Stop the Beat". Early versions of the show featured "Velma's Cha-Cha" and "The Status Quo" during Tracy's audition and dismissal, but the team instead opted for " Miss Baltimore Crabs", as the audience did not like seeing Tracy being verbally attacked after "I Can Hear the Bells". After Tracy's rejection from the Council, there was a scene in the Har-De-Har Hut in which Wilbur tried to cheer Tracy up, singing that "It Doesn't Get Better than This". Later replaced by the similar "Positivity", the scene was cut early in the Seattle tryout as it was deemed emotionally redundant.After Tracy eventually made it on the show, there was a song "The New Girl in Town", which was sung first by the Councilettes and later by the black girls. Although cut during the Seattle tryout, it was included in the 2007 film and appears in the show's instrumental score. "The Mother-Daughter Cha-Cha-Cha" was another cut number that originally followed "Big, Blonde, and Beautiful". Later, the writers absorbed the protest rally and Mother-Daughter Day into the number, thus deleting the song and folding the sequence into a single scene. A song called "Step on Up" was also cut in favor of "I Know Where I've Been". Early on in the genesis of the show, the plot involved a "Miss Auto Show" competition, as in the 1988 film, instead of "Miss Teenage Hairspray". For this competition, later revised due to the cost of cars onstage, there was a song called "Take a Spin" sung by Corny in the place of " Hairspray". After Amber's rendition of "Cooties", Tracy had a song before the finale called "It Ain't Over 'Til the Fat Lady Sings," though it was cut after readings of the show; it was included as a track on the Special Edition of the 2007 motion picture's soundtrack.
Instrumentation
Hairspray's orchestration calls for fifteen musicians, consisting of the following: three keyboards, the first of which is played by the conductor, bass guitar, two guitars, drums, percussion, trumpet, trombone, two woodwind players, two violins, and cello. The guitarists both double on acoustic and electric guitars, and the trumpet doubles on flugelhorn; the original production also featured a piccolo trumpet double during tryouts. The first woodwind player doubles on tenor and alto saxophones, flute and clarinet. The second woodwind player doubles on tenor, alto and baritone saxophones, flute and clarinet.In the original Broadway production, a few of the actors mimed on musical instruments in order to fulfil a minimum musician requirement at the Neil Simon Theatre.
Touring productions often use smaller/reduced orchestrations to save on costs - the UK 2017/18 tour which used an 8 piece orchestration - 2 Keyboards, Electric Guitar, Bass Guitar, Drum Kit, one woodwind player, Trombone and Trumpet.
Themes
Hairspray explores the themes of racial prejudice and freedom of expression. It highlights individuality, and the importance of everyone working together for something to become revolutionary. The musical is empowering, as although it touches on racial issues that were prevalent in 1960s America, it focuses more on the attitudes that are associated with it, and the power that we have to change discrimination. The musical encourages individuality, acceptance and freedom. It is a musical that can be applied to any social context and time, as it highlights ongoing issues such as fat-shaming, racism and discrimination. It also explores femininity in terms of the female characters. Notably, Tracy’s mother, Edna Turnblad, is performed in drag during the shows. Allowing a drag role for Edna adds a queerness to the musical as it does not include any gay characters. Edna is considered to be the non-racialised other that is part of the story in Hairspray. The musical also challenges the societal norms of a female. The body size of Edna also adds emphasis to the diva roles that are present in the show. Thus, the musical highlights female characters that are strong and associated with diva characteristics.Hairspray the musical emphasises on issues of acceptance and discrimination within society. Being set in the 1960s, the musical highlights the struggles of racial discrimination of African-Americans during the civil rights movement, with a focus on the world of popular culture. The Civil Rights Movement was a positive time in America's history; it allowed African-Americans the right to vote, gave them a voice, and introduced freedom for all. However, African-Americans still experienced vast inequality during this time. This reality, of the whites holding all institutional and political power, is portrayed in Hairspray in the Corny Collins Show. The African-Americans are only allowed to dance on the show once a month, and there is a stereotypical racial representation of dance style. The social representation in Hairspray is parallel to the reality of the 1960s. By the end of the show, the African-Americans are allowed to dance on the show with indicates racial integration. The show is empowering by acknowledging the challenges and limitations enforced on African Americans during this time, and also reminds audiences of the progress made as a result of the civil rights movement. Its message can also be used to empower change for other forms of discrimination that are still relevant in today’s society..