Having a Ball with Hairspray (From Hereford Times)

Having a Ball with Hairspray

8:00am Saturday 13th February 2010 in

• Skip social links
• Print
• Email
•  

WELSH star of the West End Michael Ball will head the cast as Hairspray opens its first ever UK and Ireland tour at Wales Millennium Centre on April 7, with preview performances from March 30.

Ball, who won an Olivier Award for his role as the larger-than-life heroine Edna Turnblad when the production opened in London, will open the tour in Cardiff before playing selected venues on the UK tour.

Ball is Britain’s leading musical theatre star and has starred in productions on both sides of the Atlantic including The Phantom of the Opera, Les Misérables, Aspects of Love, Passion, The Woman in White and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and made his debut with the New York City Opera in 2005 in Gilbert & Sullivan’s Patience.

Hairspray is set in 1962 and change is in the air.

Baltimore’s Tracy Turnblad, a big girl with big hair and an even bigger heart, has only one passion – dancing. She wins a spot on local TV dance programme The Corny Collins Show and, overnight, is transformed from outsider to irrepressible teen celebrity.

But can a trendsetting hair-hopper like Tracy get her massively shy Mom out of the apartment, beat evil Amber to be crowned Miss Hairspray, integrate Corny’s show for good and win the heart of local heartthrob Link Larkin, all without denting her ‘do? If anyone can, Tracy can!

“I knew when I originally took on the part of Edna that she was going to be a big part of my life, in every way, but I never realised just how big,” said Ball.

“Hairspray is truly one of the greatest experiences of my career and the chance to have just a few more nights in those frocks was an opportunity I couldn’t miss!”

Producer Adam Spiegel added: “We are over the moon that Michael has agreed to launch the Hairspray tour for us. He has been a big, big part of the Hairspray story so far.”

Hairspray will be at the WMC in Cardiff from March 30 until April 24, including preview performances. For more information, or to book, call the box office on 08700 40 2000 or visit wmc.org.uk.