Casting announced for UK tour of Hairspray

Casting has been announced for the UK tour of Hairspray which kicks off in Cardiff in August.

Comedian Norman Pace will play Wilbur Turnblad in the production which is directed by Paul Kerryson with choreography by Drew McOnie.

Matt Rixon (The Ladykillers, Around the World in 80 Days) will reprise the role of Edna Turnblad with Layton Williams (Rent tour) and Brenda Edwards (Chicago) also returning to the production as Seaweed and Motormouth Maybelle respectively.

Newcomer Rebecca Mendoza will make her professional debut as Tracy Turnblad.

The cast also includes Gina Murray, Jon Tsouras, Edward Chitticks, Aimee Moore, Annalise Liard-Bailey, Monifa James, 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.

Based on the 1988 film about a girl who follows her dream to dance her way onto TV, the show features music and lyrics by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman.

The production opens in Cardiff on 16 August before touring to Dartford, Dublin, Blackpool, Sunderland, Glasgow, Birmingham, Leicester, Buxton, Belfast, Aylesbury, Carlisle, Bradford, Guildford, Plymouth, Southampton, Sheffield, Inverness, Nottingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Manchester, Milton Keynes, Liverpool, Hull, Llandudno, Canterbury, Southend and High Wycombe.

Click here to buy tickets to the Hairspray tour

Hairspray opens in Cardiff on 16 August before embarking on a UK tour.