Hairspray confirms new tour dates and cast – with open call for roles

Exclusive: The multi-award-winning musical Hairspray has revealed its Tracy Turnblad and added extra dates to its upcoming UK and Ireland tour next year!

Hairspray is based on the 1988 film of the same name and features music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Scott Wittman and Shaiman, and book by Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan. It tells the story of Tracy Turnblad, who longs to dance her way onto national TV, win the heart of teen idol Link Larkin, and use her newfound fame to fight for equality in a racially segregated Baltimore.

The score features such hits as “Welcome to the 60s”, “Good Morning Baltimore” and “You Can’t Stop the Beat”.

This will mark the second outing for the production directed by Brenda Edwards and Paul Kerryson, with choreography by Drew McOnie.

As already revealed, Neil Hurst will reprise the role of Edna Turnblad for the new tour. He will be joined by Katie Brace, who will reprise the role of Tracy Turnblad.

An open audition will take place in London on Monday 26 October for the following roles: Motormouth Maybelle, Seaweed, Little Inez, Dynamites and The Motormouth Kids (18 and over). Submissions for the open auditions should be made by sending a CV and headshot to [email protected] by Friday 23 October.

The production will feature set and costume design by Takis, lighting design by Philip Gladwell, sound design by Ben Harrison, musical supervision and arrangements by Ben Atkinson, musical direction by Richard Atkinson, casting by Grindrod Burton. The associate director is Juliet Gough and the associate choreographer is Shaquille Brush and wigs, hairs and make up design is by Craig Forrest-Thomas. The show is produced by Mark Goucher, Matthew Gale, and Laurence Myers.

Hairspray will open at Manchester Palace Theatre (2 July to 19 July 2027), before heading to Glasgow Kings Theatre (20 to 25 July), Edinburgh Playhouse (27 July to 1 August), Cardiff Wales Millenium Centre (3 to 7 August), Dublin Bord Gáis Energy Theatre (9 to 14 August), Belfast Grand Opera House (16 to 21 August), Southend Cliffs Pavilion (24 to 29 August), New Wimbledon Theatre (31 August to 4 September), Liverpool Empire (13 to 18 September), Bradford Alhambra Theatre (20 to 25 September), Sunderland Empire (27 September to 2 October), Milton Keynes Theatre (4 to 9 October), Malvern Theatres (11 to 16 October), Birmingham Hippodrome (25 to 30 October), York Grand Opera House (1 to 6 November), Leicester Curve (8 to 13 November), Brighton Theatre Royal (15 to 20 November), Woking Theatre (22 to 27 November) and Bristol Hippodrome (10 to 15 January 2028).

Newly confirmed dates take the tour further into 2028 and include Norwich Theatre Royal (17 to 22 January 2028), Swansea Arena (25 to 29 January 2028), Nottingham Theatre Royal (31 January to 5 February 2028), Southampton Mayflower Theatre (14 to 19 February 2028), Truro Hall for Cornwall (28 February to 4 March 2028), Everyman Theatre Cheltenham (6 to 11 March 2028), Sheffield Lyceum Theatre (13 to 18 March 2028) and Wolverhampton Grand Theatre (27 March to 1 April 2028).

Tour dates and select tickets are available below.