West End and Broadway Hit Musical Hairspray Returns to Milton Keynes Theatre

Neil Hurst will reprise the iconic role of Edna Turnblad, with further casting to be announced.

Packed with some of musical theatre's most beloved songs, including Welcome To The 60s, You Can't Stop The Beat and Good Morning Baltimore, Hairspray features music by Academy Award, Tony and Emmy Award-winning duo Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman.

Neil Hurst returns as Edna Turnblad, having won audiences over with his acclaimed performance in the role. A much-loved British actor, comedian and writer, Neil began his career touring the UK in comedy and variety shows, supporting comedy legends including Bruce Forsyth, Ken Dodd, and Cannon and Ball. His recent theatre credits include The Full Monty (national tour), while his television work includes two series of Michael McIntyre's Big Show, where he appeared in a recurring live improvisation role as part of Unexpected Star of the Show. He is also an award-winning pantomime favourite, headlining the annual production at Nottingham Theatre Royal.

Brenda Edwards, who previously played Motormouth Maybelle in three tours of Hairspray, said: "I am so thrilled that this wonderful musical is returning to cities across the UK as it holds a very special place in my heart! I had so much fun making my directorial debut as a co-director with Paul Kerryson first time round. The show’s story and themes continue to remain as relevant as ever and I cannot wait to share this vibrant new production of this timeless musical with even more people."

The creative team includes set and costume design by Takis, lighting design by Philip Gladwell, sound design by Ben Harrison, musical supervision and arrangements by Ben Atkinson, musical direction by Richard Atkinson, projection design by George Reeve, casting by Grindrod Burton, associate director Juliet Gough, and associate choreographer Shaquille Brush.

Since first delighting audiences, Hairspray has become one of the world's most popular musicals, enjoying record-breaking runs in the West End, on Broadway and on the big screen. Set in 1960s Baltimore, the story follows Tracy Turnblad, a teenager with big hair, a big heart and even bigger dreams. After landing a place on her favourite television dance show, Tracy uses her newfound fame to champion equality, inclusion and interracial unity, while also hoping to win the heart of teen idol Link Larkin.

Based on John Waters' cult 1988 film starring Divine and Ricki Lake, Hairspray features music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman, and a book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan. The stage production premiered on Broadway in 2002, winning eight Tony Awards, before opening in London's Shaftesbury Theatre in 2007, where it won four Olivier Awards, including Best New Musical. The production has since toured internationally, playing to audiences in South Africa, Japan, South Korea, China and Dubai. A film adaptation of the stage musical followed in 2007, starring John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer and James Marsden.

Main Photo - Hairspray the Musical Previous Production Cast - Photo credit Pamela Raith