Edna Turnblad News

On May 18, 2023, Patrick Dennis - the creator of Auntie Mame - would have celebrated his 102nd birthday. What better way to mark this auspicious occasion than with the release of Robert Karr's new book At Sea with Patrick Dennis: My Madcap Mexican Adventure with the Author of Auntie Mame.

One of Australia's favourite performers, Shane Jacobson, will star as The King in MIDNIGHT, a major new musical set to open at the Comedy Theatre in Melbourne in June, joining co-stars including Lucy Durack, Thomas McGuane, Verity Hunt-Ballard, Matt Lee, Raphael Wong, Kristie Nguy, Melanie Bird and more.

Good morning, Sacramento! Hairspray has brought the beat to town, and you do not want to miss this spectacle of bright, brash, and beautiful 60s splendor! Based on the 1988 John Waters’ movie that became a cult classic, Hairspray opened on Broadway in 2002. It garnered 13 Tony Award nominations and took home 8 wins, including Best Musical. Its staying power rests with the timeless music by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, and enduring themes woven throughout the book by Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan.

Mark Cortale, the Producing Artistic Director of Provincetown’s Art House Theatre, has announced a glittering season of music and comedy superstars for this summer of 2023. See the full lineup and how to purchase tickets!

First Stage has announced that next up in their 2022/23 season will be THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES, based on the iconic animated Nickelodeon series by Stephen Hillenberg, with book by Kyle Jarrow.

John Travolta is recreating Grease in a new Super Bowl ad for T-Mobile. With Zach Braff and Donald Faison as backup, Travolta sang about T-Mobile's services with new lyrics to the tune of 'Summer Nights.' Watch the new ad video now!

The tour of HAIRSPRAY is pure joy, lighting up Milwaukee’s Marcus Center through February 12th with exuberant dancing, glorious voices, and a bright, bubbly outlook that’s just what this Wisconsin winter needs. 

Full casting has been announced for the forthcoming UK and Ireland tour of their smash hit production of the musical ANNIE opening at Curve, Leicester on Saturday 25 February 2023. Joining the previously announced Craig Revel Horwood and Paul O'Grady, will be Scottish BAFTA winner Elaine C Smith and Jodie Prenger, all starring as 'Miss Hannigan' at various venues.

I strongly recommend going to see this show for its last couple of performances at Capital One Hall, or try to catch a performance in another city that the tour will be visiting.

Dopo l'enorme successo ricevuto a Broadway, il musical HAIRSPRAY ritorna in Italia con una nuova produzione firmata Musical Times. A rivestire i panni di Edna, la mamma di Tracy, sarà Mauro Coruzzi, in arte Platinette.

Mark Hollman (Music and Lyrics) and Greg Kotis’ (Book and Lyrics) self-aware, satirical, comedy musical URINETOWN THE MUSICAL opens at Hayes Theatre to roars of laughter as unusual subject matter makes for powerful metaphors for modern life. 

What did our critic think of HAIRSPRAY at Orpheum Theatre? You can't stop the beat! Hairspray, Broadway's Tony Award-winning musical comedy phenomenon is back on tour! Join 16-year-old Tracy Turnblad in 1960s Baltimore as she sets out to dance her way onto TV's most popular show. Can a girl with big dreams (and even bigger hair) change the world?

Welcome To The Sixties, Sydney! The nicest kids in town will be here next month when the original Tony Award winning Broadway production of Hairspray opens at the Lyric Theatre for a strictly limited season.

Republicans in the state of Arizona have introduced three new bills that would limit or restrict drag performances in the state. Arizona Senator Anthony Kern is proposing two of the bills which would prevent drag shows from happening in public.

La MaMa ETC has announced a $250,000 matching grant from the actor and playwright Harvey Fierstein, one of La MaMa's most beloved and iconic artists, to help complete the renovation and historic restoration of La MaMa's landmark building at 74 East 4th Street.  The gift was announced by Mary Fulham, La MaMa's Managing Director.  

When it opened on Broadway in 2002, HAIRSPRAY won an extraordinary eight Tony awards. Its popularity has never waned and the tour will visit The Playhouse on December 1-4.

HAIRSPRAY, Broadway's Tony Award-winning musical comedy phenomenon, will go on sale Friday, November 18 at 10am. This new North American tour, helmed by original director Jack O'Brien and original choreographer Jerry Mitchell, will play April 11 - 16, 2023 in Salt Lake City at the Eccles Theater. 

Pittsburgh CLO presents a new musical, HERE YOU COME AGAIN written by Bruce Vilanch, Gabriel Barre, and Tricia Paoluccio, with songs by Dolly Parton (and others) January 12 – 29 at the Pittsburgh Playhouse. HERE YOU COME AGAIN is presented by Pittsburgh CLO Kara Cabaret Series and produced in association with The Pittsburgh Playhouse.

The audience was thrilled to welcome home Columbus’s own sextuple superstar, Andrew Levitt aka Nina West, who has successfully conquered the entertainment genres of TV, film, theatre, music, web series, and most recently as an author of children’s book, “The You Kind of Kind.”  His role as Edna Turnblad is just icing on the cake.

You Can't Stop the Beat! The Grand is proud to present the Wilmington engagement of the Tony Award-winning musical comedy phenomenon HAIRSPRAY at the historic Playhouse on Rodney Square from December 1 to December 4.