Theatre News

Hairspray with Michael Ball to run at the Coliseum in the West End in 2020

Michael Ball is returning to his Olivier Award-winning role in the West End

Michael Ball
Michael Ball
© Dan Wooller for WhatsOnStage

Hairspray the Musical will run at London's Coliseum in 2020, with Michael Ball returning to the role of Edna Turnblad.

Ball, who played the part in the musical from 2007 to 2009, won an Olivier Award and a WhatsOnStage Award for his performance in the show as the Tracy Turnblad's initially agoraphobic mother. He was last at the Coliseum in Chess in 2018, and later this year will play Javert in an all-star production of Les Misérables at the Gielgud Theatre.

Hairspray the Musical is based on the 1988 film of the same name which starred Divine and Ricki Lake. It originally opened in 2002 on Broadway and won eight Tony Awards. It includes numbers such as "You Can't Stop the Beat", "Big, Blonde and Beautiful" and "Good Morning Baltimore".

The show will run for 12 weeks at the Coliseum from 23 April 2020, with direction by Jack O'Brien and choreography by Jerry Mitchell. Further casting for Hairspray is to be announced.

Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman's piece is set in Baltimore in 1962, where Tracy Turnblad wants to dance her way onto national TV.

Buy tickets for Hairspray at the Coliseum

Michael Ball in Hairspray in 209
Michael Ball in Hairspray in 2009
© Dan Wooller for WhatsOnStage