Photo by Paul Kolnik, Courtesy Richard Kornberg & Associates

Broadway Play Hairspray

Neil Simon Theatre

244 West 52nd Street

New York, New York

Hairspray takes you to Baltimore and it's 1962. Tracy Turnblad is a girl with big hair, a big heart and a big passion to dance. Tracy had never been a member of the popular crowd - until she wins a spot on the local TV dance program "The Corny Collins Show." Overnight Tracy becomes a teen idle, setting dance and fashion trends of the moment. The plot thickens when Tracy is pitted against the reigning petite teenage queen of the show for the affections of the Brad Pitts of the time, heartthrob Link Larkin. Can Tracy Turnblad succeed and still keep hair-do?

Broadway Shows and Musicals - Hairspray

Hairspray opened on-Broadway on August 15, 2002 at the Neil Simon Theatre. As of February 20, 2005 the show celebrated its 1,048 performance. Hairspray is based upon the New Line Cinema film written and directed by John Waters, a book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan. Music is by Marc Shairman, lyrics by Marc Shairman and Scott Wittman, directed by Jack O'Brien and choreographed by Jerry Mitchell. The original screen adaption was a hit and the live Broadway production is even bigger!

Awards for Hairspray the Broadway Show

Hairspray is made of the right stuff which keeps the New York Broadway musical alive. All the following mentioned awards were stowed upon the production of Hairspray as a testimony to hits entertaining genius.

2003 Tony Award® Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, Best Original Score, Best Actor in a Musical, Best Actress in a Musical, Best Featured Actor in a Musical, Best Scenic Design, Best Costume Design, Best Lighting Design, Best Choreography, Best Direction of a Musical, Best Orchestrations and the 2003 Theatre World Award.

Hairspray's Hit Musical Scores

The score is the remarkable work by Marc Shairman for the music and Marc Shairman & Scott Wittman for lyrics. Good Morning Baltimore, The Nicest Kids in Town. Mama, I'm a Big Girl Now, Can Hear the Bells, Miss Baltimore Crabs. The Madison, The Nicest Kids in Town, It Takes Two, Welcome to the '60s, Run and Tell That, Big, Blonde & Beautiful, The Big Dollhouse, Without Love, I Know Where I've Been, Hairspray, Cooties and You Can't Stop the Beat.

Hairspray is Playing at the Neil Simon Theatre

The now named Neil Simon Theatre was originally built in 1927, had a seating capacity of nearly 1,400 and was named the Alvin

Photo by Paul Kolnik

Theatre after its producer founders Alex Aarons and Vinton Freedley. In 1984 the theatre was renamed for playwright Neil Simon. For over three-quarters of a century this popular comedy house has been host to noteworthy musicals such as: Funny Face, Girl Crazy, Anything Goes, Boys from Syracuse, Lady in the Dark, Annie, Music Man and Hairspray.