Show guide
Hairspray
Hairspray is a bright, big-hearted comedy about a plus-size teenager chasing her dream of dancing on television in early 1960s Baltimore.
- Broadway premiere
- 2002
- Music by
- Marc Shaiman
- Genre
- Comedy
- Setting
- 1960s
Hairspray: quick answers
What is Hairspray about?
- Hairspray follows Tracy Turnblad, a big-haired, big-hearted Baltimore teenager who wins a spot dancing on a local TV show and uses her new fame to fight for the show's racial integration.
When did Hairspray open on Broadway?
- Hairspray opened on Broadway on August 15, 2002, at the Neil Simon Theatre and ran for 2,642 performances, closing on January 4, 2009. It won eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical.
What kind of musical is Hairspray?
- Hairspray is a musical comedy with an original score by Marc Shaiman, with lyrics by Shaiman and Scott Wittman, adapted from John Waters' 1988 non-musical film comedy.
Where and when is Hairspray set?
- Hairspray is set in Baltimore in 1962, around a local TV dance program inspired by the real Buddy Deane Show.
Has Hairspray played in London's West End?
- Hairspray opened at the Shaftesbury Theatre in 2007, with Michael Ball as Edna, and won the Olivier Award for Best New Musical. Ball returned as Edna in a 2021 revival at the London Coliseum.
Is there a Hairspray movie?
- The musical is based on John Waters' 1988 film starring Ricki Lake and Divine. It was filmed as a 2007 movie musical with Nikki Blonsky and John Travolta, and NBC aired Hairspray Live! in 2016.
The story of Hairspray
Set in Baltimore in the early 1960s, Hairspray follows Tracy Turnblad, an upbeat teenager with big hair and bigger dreams, as she auditions for a local television dance show and finds herself at the center of both a personal triumph and a push for racial integration on the program. Her infectious optimism and dance moves win her fans, but also put her at odds with the show's status quo.
Underneath its candy-colored surface, the show tackles serious themes of body image, prejudice, and civil rights, using humor and heart rather than heavy-handedness to make its points land.
The music and the makers
The score was composed by Marc Shaiman, who captures the sound of early 1960s pop and Motown-adjacent radio hits with irresistible, danceable energy. The songs are bouncy and hook-driven, built for big group numbers and joyful choreography.
That period-accurate sound is part of what makes the show so much fun in performance, since the music itself evokes the exact television and radio culture the story is satirizing and celebrating at the same time.
Hairspray on Broadway
Hairspray opened on Broadway in the early 2000s, adapted from an earlier film, and quickly became a crowd favorite thanks to its irresistible energy and feel-good message. It proved that a musical comedy with genuine social conscience could also be pure, danceable entertainment.
Its lasting popularity comes from that balance of joy and substance, offering audiences big laughs and big dance numbers while still saying something meaningful about acceptance and change.
Hairspray: frequently asked questions
When did Hairspray open on Broadway?
Hairspray opened on Broadway in 2002.
Who composed Hairspray?
Marc Shaiman wrote the music.
What is Hairspray about?
It follows a teenage girl in early 1960s Baltimore chasing her dream of dancing on television while confronting issues of body image and racial integration.
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