Hairspray set for major UK tour in 2015

Hairspray will take to the road next year on a UK tour beginning at the Leicester Curve on 9 September 2015, before embarking on a 40-week tour at 29 venues across the rest of the UK, including Manchester, Oxford, Leeds, Bristol, Sheffield, Edinburgh and Liverpool. The tour will also include a festive run over the Christmas season at Birmingham's New Alexandra Theatre in December 2015.

Hairspray will be directed by Paul Kerryson, with choreography by Drew McOnie and musical direction by Ben Atkinson. The show has music and lyrics by Academy Award, Tony and Emmy winning duo Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman.

The show originally opened on Broadway in 2002, before opening at the West End's Shaftsbury Theatre in 2007, the same year a popular remake of the 1988 film was released. Hairspray has since opened in a whole host of other countries including South Africa, Japan, South Korea, China and Dubai.

The musical tells the story of Tracy Turnblad, a big girl with big hair and an even bigger heart, on a mission to follow her dreams and dance her way onto national TV. Tracy’s audition makes her a local star and soon she is using her new-found fame to fight for equality, bagging local heartthrob Link Larkin along the way. As well as big musical numbers and a happy ending, the show also deals with many other issues including racism, self esteem and prejudice.

Casting for the production is to be announced.