hairspray national tour auditions

• Upcoming City: TUCSON, AZ

“If life were everything it should be, it would be more like HAIRSPRAY

IT’S IRRESISTIBLE!”

THE NEW YORK TIMES

Homepage Video

Stage and Cinema

Arts and Entertainment Reviews

Theater Review: HAIRSPRAY (National Tour)

by William C. on April 17, 2023

in Theater-Regional , Tours

THIS HEAVYWEIGHT TAKES THE PRIZE

Can you ask for a more perfect pairing than a drag queen and the high camp of musical theater? In this national tour production of Hairspray , Tracy Turnblad and friends turn up the heat with their dance movies on the stage of Segerstrom Hall. The band is tight, the movements are swell, and the jokes are non-stop. And, if you are one of those theater snobs like yours truly that care about craft and storytelling, it is there too. This is a show that takes wrapping the medicine with a shit-ton of sugar seriously.

On the surface, this is a good ”ugly duckling” story mixed in with a little Cinderella. Literally, Tracy ( Nicki Metcalf ), our heroine, dances with rats at her feet in the opening number “Good Morning Baltimore.” She is a big girl with a big personality and an even bigger dream. Her BFF Penny Pingleton ( Emery Henderson ) is always at her side to play along with her fantasies, as and break out into spontaneous bursts of song and dance.

Cinderella had her evil stepmother and sisters, Tracy has the mother-daughter local television royalty, Amber and Velma Von Tussle ( Ryahn Evers and Addison Garner ). They are the skinny blonde queen bees of their kingdom, and are both fat-phobic and racist. Link, the prince charming of our story, played by a very easy on the eyes Nick Cortazzo , is a local teenage celebrity on the Corny Collins show. So, when a free-wheeling teenager takes an unexpected maternity leave from the show, the dream spot opens for all the teenage girls of Baltimore to try out. Tracy, our heroine, is hellbent on attending the audition to realize her dream to be on TV.

A more serious subplot is beneath Tracy’s arc. The racial tensions of 1950s America played out to the hilt in Baltimore. The progressive TV host Corny Collins ( Billy Dawson ) aims to integrate black talent into his show. And, you betcha, this goal is met with fierce protest and anger from the TV producers and the Ultra-Clutch Hairspray sponsor which just created a brand marketed to African Americans. The irony is not subtle. The entertainment industry is portrayed as only too happy to steal profit, dance moves, and music from the black community and concurrently uphold Jim-Crow era racist segregation. Perhaps perfectly captured by Miss Baltimore Crab, Velma Von Tussle, in one of her not-so-subtle rebuttals against Corny, ”We must guide our kids in the White direction.”

I can not love this cast enough. Boy, they all can sing! Metcalf’s voice is rich, powerful, and jovial. Her dance moves are filled with spunk. Cortazzo’s Link is sexy and gives a little Freddie Mercury vibe. Andrew Levitt as Nina West is a triumph in the role of Tracy’s mom Edna Turnblad. This queen is more than just funny. She carries each scene with grace, gravitas, and, yes, emotion. Sandie Lee’s powerhouse vocals as Black activist Motormouth Maybelle in “I Know Where I’ve Been” is sensationally emotional.

The evening’s most stunning, shining jewels are the Dynamite ladies: Jade Turner, Melanie Puente Ervin, and Sydney Archbald . The hall was lit with electric energy when they broke into their individual solos. Their voices were so bright and sonorous.

Shannon Slaton’s sound design is superb. The ensemble mixing is absolutely perfect. There were some hiccups made by the sound-op, but the balance of the ensemble is tuned as close to perfection as live theater gets. As the band was also not mixed too loudly, you could understand the lyrics perfectly. William Ivey Long , Paul Huntley , and Bernie Ardia’s wig and costume designs are tremendous fun. They are so campy, and they made Nina West look terrific.

I wish more musical theater were like this. It is filled with fun and talent of all shapes, sizes, and races that come together to tell the story of our country’s history. To be sure, it is not without inaccuracies because it is theater, not a scholarly textbook. However, it helps us think about the world differently. Perhaps, if we all had a little of Tracy’s can-do attitude, we might get through life together as a community.

Go watch this. Hell, take your grandmother, your racist uncle, your conspiracy theorist mother-in-law, your plants and your pets. Miracles can result from a shift in perception.

photos by Jeremy Daniel

Hairspray national tour reviewed at Segerstrom (ends April 29) tour continues: for tickets, dates and cities, visit Hairspray Tour

Share this post:

Leave a Comment

• Art and Museums
• Concerts / Events
• Theater-Boston
• Theater-Chicago
• Theater-D.C.
• Theater-International
• Theater-Las Vegas
• Theater-Los Angeles
• Theater-New York
• Theater-Palm Springs (Coachella Valley)
• Theater-Regional
• Theater-San Diego
• Theater-San Francisco / Bay Area
• Privacy Statement

Search reviews by title or key words.

Please help keep stage and cinema going, while we assert that it’s time to rethink the existence of facebook, here’s our page, casino reviews betsquare.

November casting for new Hairspray tour

Published: 8 October 2023 Reporter: David Upton

Brenda Edwards, who has played Motormouth Maybelle in three tours of Hairspray , will join Paul Kerryson to direct a new production of the show for a national tour in 2024.

It will open in Manchester at the Palace on July 16 and tour through to July 2025.

Open auditions will be held in November 2023.

This musical comedy features hit songs like "Welcome To The 60s", "You Can’t Stop The Beat" and "Good Morning Baltimore".

Brenda Edwards said, “the show’s story and themes are as relevant as ever and I cannot wait to hold the open auditions to discover a new cast.”

Related listings

• Hairspray (Mark Goucher, Matthew Gale and Laurence Myers)

* Some links, including Amazon, Stageplays.com, Bookshop.org, ATG Tickets, LOVEtheatre, BTG Tickets, Ticketmaster, The Ticket Factory, LW Theatres and QuayTickets, are affiliate links for which BTG may earn a small fee at no extra cost to the purchaser.

Are you sure?

RuPaul’s Drag Race Star Nina West to Lead Hairspray National Tour

Tens across the board for this casting! Andrew Levitt, (a.k.a. drag queen Nina West, who rose to fame on RuPaul’s Drag Race ), is leading the cast of the upcoming Hairspray national tour as as Edna Turnblad. Newcomers Niki Metcalf and Toneisha Harris wil star as as Tracy Turnblad and Motormouth Maybelle, respectively. The production is helmed by Jack O’Brien and Jerry Mitchell. Additional casting will be announced later.

“It’s a brand-new world we find ourselves in today, and Hairspray is meeting this challenge full-on with even more joy and purpose. Our fable of 'The Little Dancing Engine That Could' is even more relevant than twenty years ago when it first burst onto the scene," said O'Brien in a statement. "With the renewed, refreshed energy of the unforgettable Nina West as Edna and a whole new generation of wildly talented kids across the board, we cannot wait to raise the various roofs once more with dance, joy, music, and that glorious, famous, energy-packed score! Come feel great and grateful once more!”

The new touring production of Hairspray will hold technical rehearsals and opening performances at the Capitol Theatre in Yakima, Washington prior to the official tour opening night on November 17 at Broadway San Diego’s Civic Theatre. Hairsrpay will visit more than 60 cities in its first touring season and is expected to play across North America for multiple seasons. Learn more about the new touring production here .

Hairspray, which features a Tony-winning score by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, and a Tony-winning book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan, is the story of teen 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? 

After having it world premiere at Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theater in June 2002, Hairspray became a hit Broadway musical, winning eight 2003 Tony Awards, including Best Musical.

Articles Trending Now

• Marriedly We Roll Along: Lindsay Mendez Weds with Jonathan Groff and Daniel Radcliffe Standing By
• Tony Winner Idina Menzel to Launch Take Me or Leave Me Concert Tour
• 2024 Drama League Nominations Announced; Merrily We Roll Along Trio Eligible for Distinguished Performance Award

Tours To You

Your home for information about the touring broadway productions in north america, hairspray announces an open call for the upcoming national tour.

Stewart/Whitley has announced an open call for the upcoming National Tour of Hairspray !

According to a recent post on social media, the casting company is holding non-union auditions for both singers and dancers. Should you decide to audition, here are the details:

Whether you are auditioning as a singer or dancer, a headshot and resume is required for both auditions.

The audition date for singers is Tuesday, March 3. They will begin signups at 9 AM at the Pearl Studios (500 8th Ave, Room 412, New York, NY 1018). You will need to prepare a 16 bar cut of your own song in the style of the show. Be sure to bring sheet music for the accompanist. For examples of the show’s style, consult your favorite media outlet, such as iTunes or Spotify .

For dancers, the audition date is Wednesday, March 4, with signups beginning at 9 AM, again at the Pearl Studios, but at a different room (500 8th Ave, Room 304, New York, NY 1018). You will need to be prepared to dance in proper dance attire. For men, they require that you bring flats, and for women, both heels and flats are required.

At this time, it does not appear that the casting company will accept video submissions. For more information, you will want to contact the casting company. Their contact outlets can be found in the original online post:

Rehearsals for the show will begin on/about October 10, 2020. Following the  Baltimore  launch (November 10-15, 2020),  Hairspray  will visit more than 60 additional cities in its first touring season.

Hairspray  is the story of 16-year-old Tracy Turnblad in 1960’s 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? Featuring the beloved score of hit songs including “Welcome to the 60’s,” “Good Morning Baltimore,” “It Takes Two,” “You Can’t Stop the Beat,” and incorporating “Ladies Choice” from the musical film adaption,  Hairspray  is “fresh, winning, and deliriously tuneful!” (The New York Times).

This new touring production will reunite Broadway’s award-winning creative team, led by Director Jack O’Brien and Choreographer Jerry Mitchell, to bring  Hairspray  to a new generation of theater audiences.  Hairspray  is based on the New Line Cinema film written and directed by John Waters, who served as a creative consultant on the musical comedy. It features a book by Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan.  Hairspray  features an original score by Academy Award-nominated Marc Shaiman and lyrics by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman. The tour is produced by NETworks Presentations.

Share this:

Due to the adult nature of this show, please verify your age for access.

• Day DD 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
• Month MM Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
• Year YYYY 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980 1979 1978 1977 1976 1975 1974 1973 1972 1971 1970 1969 1968 1967 1966 1965 1964 1963 1962 1961 1960 1959 1958 1957 1956 1955 1954 1953 1952 1951 1950 1949 1948 1947 1946 1945 1944 1943 1942 1941 1940 1939 1938 1937 1936 1935 1934 1933 1932 1931 1930 1929 1928 1927 1926 1925 1924 1923 1922 1921 1920 1919 1918 1917 1916 1915 1914 1913 1912 1911 1910 1909 1908 1907 1906 1905 1904 1903 1902 1901 1900

Privacy Overview

Discover more from tours to you.

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Type your email…

Continue reading

Featured Show

Big hair, big dreams, all the right moves, and you’ve got one of the biggest Broadway hits of our time — Hairspray . Winner of eight Tony Awards and four Laurence Olivier Awards, including Best New Musical, this feel good musical is back-by-popular demand! You asked for it and we delivered in a brand new, bigger-than-ever production. Break out your bobby socks, because Tracy Turnblad won’t stop until she gets her shot at fame dancing on The Corny Collins Show. But TV stardom is just the beginning. Tracy’s world is about to get a whole lot bigger. Hairspray is back and You Can’t Stop the Beat!

We Will Be Casting To Fill

The following roles:.

Broadway & Regional Theatre Auditions

Updated: April 26, 2024 - Upcoming Broadway auditions, regional theater auditions and national tour theatre casting calls, with data provided by the Actors' Equity Association. .

Friday April 26, 2024

The game - horizon theatre company.

( Atlanta, GA Audition )

Equity Principal Actors

THE SOUND OF MUSIC - 5 Star Theatricals

( Los Angeles, CA Audition )

PARADE (Tour) - Leo and Lucille Tour LLC

( Submission )

Equity Stage Managers

( New York, NY Audition )

Equity Ensemble Singers

TheatreWorks Silicon Valley 2024-25 Season - TheatreWorks Silicon Valley

4/26/2024 - 5/14/2024

( Redwood City, CA Audition )

Penobscot Theatre Company 2024-25 Season - Penobscot Theatre Company

( Bangor, ME Audition )

SISTERS - Northern Stage Company

4/26/2024 - 5/9/2024

Equity Actors

SparkFest 2024 Play Readings - Amphibian Stage Productions

4/26/2024 - 5/8/2024

A WONDERFUL WORLD (Broadway) - Louis On Broadway, LP

The hispanic/latino/latina/latine vote - stages.

( Houston, TX Audition )

BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL - Asolo Repertory Theatre

Equity Ensemble Singers - Male Characters

BEAUTIFUL - THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL - Asolo Repertory Theatre

Equity Ensemble Singers - Female Characters

Equity Ensemble Dancers - Male Characters

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM - Classical Theatre of Harlem

Thursday april 25, 2024, sump'n like wings - mint theater company.

5/2/2024 - 5/20/2024

4/25/2024 - 5/20/2024

EMPIRE THE MUSICAL - Everybody Up LLC

Equity Ensemble Dancers (Afternoon - All genders)

San Francisco Playhouse 2024-25 Season - San Francisco Playhouse

( San Francisco, CA Audition )

Berkeley Repertory Theatre and American Conservatory Theater 2024-25 Seasons - Berkeley Repertory Theatre and American Conservatory Theater

Shadowland stages 2024-25 season - shadowland artists inc..

( Ellenville, NY Audition )

DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS - San Jose Stage Company

4/25/2024 - 5/8/2024

( San Jose, CA Audition )

CHICAGO (Broadway) - Chicago LP

Equity Ensemble Dancers

CHICAGO (BROADWAY) - Chicago LP

Kansas city repertory theatre 2024-25 season - kansas city repertory theatre, repertory theatre of st louis 2024-25 season - repertory theatre of st louis.

4/25/2024 - 5/7/2024

Repertory Theatre of St Louis and Kansas City Repertory Theatre  2024-25 Seasons - Repertory Theatre of St Louis and Kansas City Repertory Theatre

( Chicago, IL Audition )

MICKEY'S NOT SO SCARY HALLOWEEN PARTY - Walt Disney World Company

Repertory theatre of st louis 2024-25 seasons - repertory theatre of st louis.

( St. Louis, MO Audition )

Wednesday April 24, 2024

Self tape - creative ammo inc..

4/24/2024 - 5/3/2024

BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB (Broadway) - BVSC Broadway LLC

4/24/2024 - 5/6/2024

Equity Video Submissions

Detroit Public Theatre 2024-25 Season - Detroit Public Theatre

( Detroit, MI Audition )

Goodman Theatre 2024-25 Season - Goodman Theatre

Tuesday april 23, 2024.

Equity Ensemble Dancers (Morning - All genders)

Equity Principal Actors (Afternoon - All genders)

Equity Ensemble Singers (Morning - All genders)

PERFECT CRIME (Role of W. Harrison Brent) - Perfect Crime Inc.

4/23/2024 - 4/26/2024

Dogteam Theatre Project Summer 2024 Season - Dogteam Theatre Project

( Middlebury, VT Audition )

Chautauqua Theater Company 2024 Season - Chautauqua Institution

( Chautauqua, NY Audition )

PlayMakers Repertory Company 2024-25 Season - PlayMakers Repertory Company

4/23/2024 - 5/10/2024

( Chapel Hill, NC Audition )

SCHOOL OF ROCK - Miners Alley Playhouse

( Golden, CO Audition )

4/23/2024 - 5/5/2024

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, LIVE ON STAGE! - Walt Disney World Company

4/22/2024 - 5/6/2024

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN FOREVER - Walt Disney World Company

( Lake Buena Vista, FL Audition )

4/23/2024 - 5/6/2024

Monday April 22, 2024

Equity Dancers

Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center 2024-25 Season - Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College

4/22/2024 - 5/13/2024

( Colorado Springs, CO Audition )

THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL and A YEAR WITH FROG & TOAD - Trustees of Boston University

( Boston, MA Audition )

Friday April 19, 2024

Romeo & juliet (broadway) - in fair nyc, llc.

4/17/2024 - 4/30/2024

Lyric Stage Company 2024-25 Season - Lyric Stage Company

4/19/2024 - 5/6/2024

Undermain Theatre 2024-25 Season - Undermain Theatre

4/19/2024 - 5/3/2024

( Dallas, TX Audition )

MORENO - InterAct Theatre Company

( Philadelphia, PA Audition )

Theatre Under the Stars 2024-25 Season - Theatre Under the Stars

Equity Stage Managers`

Renaissance TheaterWorks and Next Act Theatre 2024-25 Season - Renaissance TheaterWorks and Next Act Theatre

( Milwaukee, WI Audition )

Renaissance TheaterWorks and Next Act Theatre 2024-25 Season - Various Producers

Pirates of penzance - roundabout theatre company, thursday april 18, 2024, bull durham - theatre raleigh.

4/18/2024 - 6/1/2024

( Raleigh, NC Audition )

Cleveland Play House 2024-25 SeasonCleveland Play House 2024-25 Season - Cleveland Play House

( Cleveland, OH Audition )

Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park 2024-25 Season - Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park

( Cincinnati, OH Audition )

4/18/204 - 5/20/2024

A CHRISTMAS STORY - Goodspeed Opera House

Equity Ensemble Dancers - Female Characters

Get Audition Advice

The 20 Best Audition Songs for Sopranos

How To Break Into Audition Pianist Work In NYC

20 Best Audition Songs for Tenors

Everything You Need To Know About Auditioning For Community Theatre

More Articles...

Frequently Asked Questions FAQ

Auditions are updated daily in real time, and are available directly from Actors' Equity Association.

At this time auditions can only be submitted directly via Actors' Equity Association. Please submit your Equity audition to the union to be listed here. To submit a non-equity audition, click here . To submit a different type of job posting, visit the Classifieds .

BroadwayWorld has a complete guide on auditions, including song selection, monologue ideas, advice from industry professionals and more. Click here .

You can find song selection advice, including a breakdown of recommended materials by voice type here .

See some of our guides here including:

How To Break Into Audition Pianist Work In NYC Moving to NYC: The Actor's Guide How To Write A Resumé For Actors How To Find Equity and Non-Equity Auditions, Audition Tips, And More! How To Find A Voice Teacher in NYC How To Find An Acting Teacher in NYC How Do Non-Equity Performers Get Seen At Equity Auditions? Everything You Need To Know About Open Call Auditions  

See our guides breaking down advice for specific audition types here .

Submission details are included within each audition's page, including requirements for pre-screens or agent submissions.

Each audition has a unique deadline, usually included with the listings.

This varies. Calls for submissions are usually virtual, while open auditions are often in person in NYC.

Each audition listing includes specifics on what to prepare.

Auditions are vetted and submitted by Actors' Equity Association.

You may join Equity under the “Open Access” program if you have worked professionally as an actor or stage manager in a theatrical production within Equity’s geographical jurisdiction.

If you have worked on a previous Equity Contract, worked as an EMC or Local Jobber or have been a member of Equity prior you may contact us to inquire about joining and filing a new Membership Application.

If you have worked professionally as an actor or stage manager in Equity’s geographical jurisdiction you will need to provide a copy of your contract and proof of pay (i.e. pay stub, W2, 1099, etc).

If you are joining Equity through Open Access, at least $600 initial payment is due with your application, and you must have completed any non-union theatre work.  

You may join the Association by virtue of employment under an Equity contract. Applications for joining Equity are only valid during the term of the contract. Certain contract types also have a length-of-employment requirement before a membership application becomes valid; the Membership Department will advise you at the time of joining.

Learn more here.

Auditions for all Broadway shows are under Equity contracts, listed on BroadwayWorld via the union.

To keep up to date on the latest theater indsutry trends, including featured job postings, subscribe to our Industry Newsletter .

You can browse all of BroadwayWorld's educational initiatives, including resources for Elementary, Middle, Highschool, as well as our database of college programs and scholarships for all types of Broadway jobs, from performing to marketing, technical, and more - here .

TICKET CENTRAL

Recommended For You