GOOD MORNING BROADWAY FANS!! We are just 3 DAYS AWAY till New York's legendary MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET done in an abridged way. It's also well known at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. We have more of our favorite performances from the Great Bright Way that have taken part in this landmark New York City treasure on our TOP 30 BROADWAY AT MACY'S COUNTDOWN.
At # 3 on our countdown, we travel to Baltimore in the year of 1962. It centers on an average teenage girl with big hair and big dreams. One day, she lands a big break appearing on her favorite after-school dance disc-jokey show where she campaigns for the show to be integrated. The show is of course Hairspray. Based on the 1988 film by John Waters, the show features an original score book by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman along with a book by Mark O'Donnell & Thomas Meehan.
From the 2002 NBC telecast, Tony winner Marissa Jaret Winokur as "Tracy Turnblad" along with Tony nominees Matthew Morrison as "Link Larken", Kerry Butler as "Penny Pingleton", Corey Reynolds as "Seaweed J. Stubbs", and Laura Bell Bundy as "Amber Von Tussel", along with Mary Bond Davis as "Motormouth Mabel", Clarke Thorell as "Corny Collins", and members of the original Broadway cast all bring in the dance party to Herald Square. Here they are performing the show's signature finale anthem (and very appropriate for the time we're living in today)…..YOU CAN'T STOP THE BEAT.
HAIRSPRAY was first conceived as a musical when producer Margo Lion saw the 1988 film on TV in the year 1998. She contacted Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman who were interested in the project. It began a long road of readings and workshops. The show had its official world premiere early 2002 in Seattle, Washington at The 5th Avenue Theatre where it was a sold out smash.
Following the triumph of the Seattle run, the show danced its way into Broadway’s Neil Simon Theatre a few months later in that same year running for a total of 2,642 performances. The show is still credited as the Neil Simon Theatre's longest running show ever. Under the direction of Tony winner Jack O'Brien and choreographed by Tony winner Jerry Mitchell, the cast starred….
Tony winner Harvey Fierstein (later Michael McKean, Bruce Villanch, Paul Vogt, John Pinette, Blake Hammond, and George Wendt) as "Edna Turnblad",
Tony winner Marissa Jaret Winokur (later Kathy Brier, Carly Jibson, Shannon Durig, and Marissa Perry) as "Tracy Turnblad",
Mary Bond Davis (later Darlene Love and Jennifer Lewis) as "Motormouth Mabel",
Tony winner Dick Latessa (later Stephen DeRosa, Jim J. Bullock, and Jere Burns) as "Wilbur Turnblad",
Linda Hart (later Barbara Walsh, Leah Hocking, Liz Larsen, Isabelle Keating, and Karen Mason) as "Velma Von Tussle",
Tony and Emmy nominee Matthew Morrison (later Richard H. Blake, Andrew Rannells, Aaron Tviet, Ashley Parker Angel, and Constantine Rousouli) as "Link Larken",
Tony nominee Corey Reynolds (later Chester Gregory & Tevin Campbell) as "Seaweed J. Stubbs",
Tony nominee Laura Bell Bundy (later Tracy Jai Edwards, Becky Gulsvig, Haylie Duff, Ashley Spencer, Aubrey O'Day & Kate Loprest) as "Amber Von Tussel,
Tony nominee Kerry Butler (later Jenn Gambatese, Tracy Miller, Diana DeGarmo, Alexa PenaVega, Caissie Levy, and Niki Scalera) as "Penny Pingleton",
Clarke Thorell (later Jonathan Dokuchitz and Lance Bass) as "Corny Collins",
and more.
HAIRSPRAY was nominated for 13 Tony Awards in 2003 winning 8 including BEST MUSICAL.
The show went on to become a worldwide hit. It's played everywhere from touring North America and around the world.
HAIRSPRAY originally arrived in London's West End at the Shaftesbury Theatre in 2007 where it played for nearly two-and-a-half years and over 1,000 performances. With it's same creative team, the original London cast consisted of….
Michael Ball as "Edna Turnblad",
Leanne Jones as "Tracy Turnblad",
Johnnie Fiori as "Motormouth Mabel",
Mel Smith as "Wilbur Turnblad",
Olivier and Tony winner Tracie Bennett as "Velma Von Tussel",
Ben James-Ellis as "Link Larken".
Adrian Hansel as "Seaweek J. Stubbs",
Rachel Wooding as "Amber Von Tussel",
Elinor Collett as "Penny Pingleton",
Paul Manuel as "Corny Collins",
and more.
The original London production was nominated for 11 Olivier Awards in 2008 winning 4 including BEST NEW MUSICAL.
The show is set to return to London's West End for a strictly limited engagement. Originally set to debut this year, the production was delayed due to Live Theater shutdown thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. The new revival will play the London Coliseum from April 22nd-August 28th, 2021. Reuniting its original creative team, the cast will be led by….
Michael Ball reprising his Olivier Award winning performance as "Edna Turnblad",
Lizzie Bea as "Tracy Turnblad",
Marisha Wallace as "Motormouth Mabel",
Paul Merton as "Wilbur Turnblad",
Rita Simons as "Velma Von Tussel",
Johnny Amies as "Link Larken",
Ashley Samuels as "Seaweed J. Stubbs",
Georgia Anderson as "Amber Von Tussel",
Mari McGinlay as "Penny Pingleton",
and more.
HAIRSPRAY has gone on to wow audiences around the world. It's played on 6 continents and translated to every major language.
Along with its success on stage, the musical version of HAIRSPRAY was also put on screen TWICE.
The first major film version of the musical was released in 2007 with an all star cast led by….
John Travolta as "Edna Turnblad",
Nikki Blonsky as "Tracy Turnblad",
Queen Latifah as "Motormouth Mabel",
Christopher Walken as "Wilbur Turnblad",
Michelle Pfieffer as "Velma Von Tussel",
Zac Efron as "Link Larken",
Elijah Wood as "Seaweed J. Stubbs",
Brittany Snow as "Amber Von Tussel",
Amanda Bynes as "Penny Pingleton",
James Marsden as "Corny Collins",
and more.
The film went on to be nominated for 3 Golden Globes including BEST PICTURE but lost the categories.
Most recently, NBC presented a live televised production back in 2016 with a full all-star cast led by….
Harvey Fierstein reprising his acclaimed Broadway performance as "Edna Turnblad",
Maddie Baillio as "Tracy Turnblad",
Oscar and Grammy winner Jennifer Hudson as "Motormouth Mabel",
Tony winner Martin Short as "Wilbur Turnblad",
Tony and Emmy winner Kristin Chenoweth as "Velma Von Tussel",
Garrett Clayton as "Link Larken",
Tony nominee Ephraim M. Sykes as "Seaweed J. Stubbs",
Dove Cameron as "Amber Von Tussel",
Grammy winner Ariana Grande as "Penny Pingleton",
Derek Hough as "Corny Collins",
and more.
Today HAIRPSRAY has been performed in schools, community, and regional theaters everywhere.
How high energetic was that number?!!!
#BroadwayAtMacys #NYBTTop30BroadwayAtMacysCountdown #ThisIsBroadway #HolidaysAreAlmostHere #LetsHaveAParade
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