Marisha Wallace and Lizzie Bea to join London cast of Hairspray

Lizzie Bea and Marisha Wallace will join Tony and Olivier Award-winner Michael Ball in the London production of Hairspray the Musical when it comes to the Coliseum in 2020. The run has also been extended and will now play for 18 weeks.

Wallace (Dreamgirls and Waitress) will play Motormouth Maybelle and Bea (Kinky Boots UK tour) will play the lead role of Tracy Turnblad. The previously announced Ball will reprise his role of mother Edna Turnblad, for which he won both a WhatsOnStage Award and an Olivier Award. Ball was last at the Coliseum in Chess in 2018 and is currently playing Javert in an all-star production of Les Misérables at the Gielgud Theatre.

Hairspray the Musical will play from 23 April to 30 August, with a press night on 29 April. The show 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, with songs such as "You Can't Stop the Beat", "Big, Blonde and Beautiful" and "Good Morning Baltimore". The original London production in 2008 won four Olivier Awards.

Jack O'Brien will direct, with book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan, music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Shaiman and Scott Wittman, choreography by Jerry Mitchell, costumes by William Ivey Long, set by David Rockwell and casting by Jill Green. Further casting is to be announced.