Hairspray UK Tour Announces Open Auditions and New Dates

Hairspray the Musical is set to head out on tour across the UK and Ireland in 2027, with Katie Brace returning as Tracy Turnblad opposite Neil Hurst’s Edna. New dates into 2028 have been added as the production announced open auditions to take place in London next week.

Producers Mark Goucher, Matthew Gale and Laurence Myers have announced they’ll host open auditions in London as they look for talent to join the cast of Hairspray the Musical‘s upcoming UK and Ireland tour. Alongside the audition news, the production has announced further dates into 2028.

Paul Kerryson and Brenda Edwards return to co-direct, with choreography by Olivier Award winner Drew McOnie. The creative team also includes set and costume design by Takis, lighting design by Philip Gladwell, sound design by Ben Harrison.

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Open auditions in London

It’s been announced that Katie Brace will reprise the role of Tracy Turnblad, joining the previously announced Neil Hurst, who also returns as Edna Turnblad. The production is also hosting open auditions in London as they seek out talented performers to join Brace and Hurst. Producers are casting for key roles, including:

Motormouth Maybelle
Seaweed
Little Inez
The Dynamites
The Motormouth Kids

Anyone interested in auditioning can send a CV and headshot to [email protected] by Friday 23 October.

Newly announced tour dates

The tour is currently set to open at Manchester’s Palace Theatre on 2 July 2027 and visits venues across the UK and Ireland until April 2028. Previously announced stops on the tour include Manchester, Glasgow, Dublin, Liverpool Milton Keynes and more. Newly announced dates include:

Swansea Arena from 25 to 29 January 2028
Nottingham Theatre Royal from 31 January to 5 February 2028
Southampton Mayflower Theatre from 14 to 19 February 2028
Truro Hall for Cornwall from 28 February to 4 March 2028
Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham from 6 to 11 March 2028
Sheffield Lyceum Theatre from 13 to 18 March 2028
Wolverhampton Grand Theatre from 27 March to 1 April 2028

About Hairspray

Based on the 1988 film by cult filmmaker John Waters, which starred Divine and Ricki Lake, this iconic musical comedy Tracy Turnblad, a heroine with big hair, a big heart and big dreams of dancing her way onto national TV and into the heart of teen idol Link Larkin. When Tracy becomes a local star, she uses her fame to fight for liberation, tolerance and interracial unity in Baltimore.

The stage production originally opened on Broadway in 2002 and features some of musical theatre’s best-loved songs, including ‘Welcome to the 60s,”You Can’t Stop the Beat’ and ‘Good Morning Baltimore,’ by Academy Award, Tony and Emmy-winning duo Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman. It won eight Tony Awards when it premiered, and went on to win four Olivier Awards when it opened at London’s Shaftesbury Theatre in 2007.

Hairspray UK Tour

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