Hairspray touring production announces new dates from June 2021

The touring production of Hairspray will kick off its run in June 2021, it has been revealed.

Opening at Theatre Royal Plymouth (subject to the easing of restrictions) on 24 June 2021, the much-loved musical will head out to theatres across the UK.

Featuring music and lyrics by the Academy Award-winning duo Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, and a book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan, this production is directed by Paul Kerryson and have choreography by Drew McOnie. The full creative team and cast are still to be announced.

Hairspray the Musical is based on the 1988 film by John Waters and starred Divine and Ricki Lake. It tells the story of Tracy Turnblad, a Baltimore schoolgirl in 1962 who is determined to follow her dreams and perform on national TV.

After Plymouth, the production will visit the following venues in 2021: Mayflower Theatre, Southampton, Manchester Palace Theatre, Sheffield Lyceum, Ipswich Regent Theatre, Aylesbury Waterside Theatre, Edinburgh Playhouse, The Alhambra Theatre, Bradford, Brighton Theatre Royal, Birmingham Hippodrome, Leicester Curve, Nottingham Theatre Royal, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, Bord Gáis Energy Theatre Dublin, Grand Opera House Belfast, New Victoria Theatre, Woking, Milton Keynes Theatre and Blackpool Grand Theatre. More dates are to be announced for 2022.

The show is not associated with the West End production, set to run at The London Coliseum.

Producer Mark Goucher said: "As the manager of Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham I am acutely aware that venues up and down the UK are crying out for shows. It is vital that we take the necessary steps to get performances going again. It is therefore a delight to be able to announce that two of my shows, under the guise of Mark Goucher Productions will be coming to a theatre near you from this summer. We will, of course, closely monitor all advice coming from the Government and if the start dates need to be delayed we have contingency plans in place to be able to move the
starting venue for each show to one later in the tour schedule."

Plans for Priscilla have also been unveiled.

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