Bay Area Musicals (Matthew McCoy, Founder & Artistic Director, and AeJay Mitchell, Managing Director) is thrilled to announce the full cast and creative team for the final production of the Company’s 2018-2019 season, the international smash hit HAIRSPRAY (Winner of 8 Tony Awards including “Best Musical”). Based on the 1988 John Waters film, HAIRSPRAY features music by Mark Shaiman, lyrics by Scott Wittman & Mark Shaiman and a book by Mark O’Donnell & Thomas Meehan.
Bay Area Musicals’ production of HAIRSPRAY runs from July 6 – August 11, 2019 and will perform at San Francisco’s Victoria Theatre (2961 16th St, San Francisco, CA 94103). The press opening will take place on Saturday, July 6, 2019 at 8:00 p.m. Regular tickets range from $35 – $65 and can be purchase online at www.bamsf.org/hairspray. Opening Night Fundraiser Tickets (available only for the Saturday, July 6 performance at 8:00 p.m.) range from $50 – $100 and includes dessert and a champagne toast with the cast (and can also be purchased online at www.bamsf.org/hairspray).
Bay Area Musicals’ production of HAIRSPRAY will be directed and choreographed by Matthew McCoy, with music direction by Jon Gallo.
“I have been wanting to stage HAIRSPRAY ever since I first saw the show on Broadway,” said Matthew McCoy. “I had never before seen a musical packed with so much heart, joy, laughter, exciting choreography and electrifying music. It signified a bright new era for the book musical comedy, and it was clear that the entire audience was having a ball. Now, almost twenty years later, the show has become a beloved classic. And with the specters of prejudice and intolerance increasingly front and center in our politics and news media, the message of HAIRSPRAY is more timely than ever: that all of us can walk together, hand in hand, no matter our size or the color of our skin. The big wigs, bright lights, and flashy dances will all be front and center in our production, with heart (and a few tears) sprinkle throughout as we look at where we’ve been, how far we’ve come, and how far we still must go.”
“If life were everything it should be, it would be more like HAIRSPRAY. It’s irresistible!” – The New York Times
The 1950s are out, and change is in the air! HAIRSPRAY, winner of eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical, is a family-friendly musical, piled bouffant-high with laughter, romance and deliriously tuneful songs. The perfect closer to Bay Area Musicals’ fourth season!
It’s 1962 in Baltimore, and the lovable plus-size teen, Tracy Turnblad, has only one desire – to dance on the popular “Corny Collins Show.” When her dream comes true, Tracy is transformed from social outcast to sudden star. She must use her newfound power to dethrone the reigning Teen Queen, win the affections of heartthrob, Link Larkin, and integrate a TV network… all without denting her ‘do!
The cast of HAIRSPRAY will feature Cassie Grilley as “Tracy Turnblad,” Melissa Momboisse as “Penny Pingleton,” Scott Di Lorenzo as “Edna Turnblad,” Kamren Mahaney as “Link Larkin,” Elizabeth Jones as “Motormouth Maybelle,” David Abrams as “Seaweed J. Stubbs,” Kennedy Williams as “Little Inez,” Paul Plain as “Wilbur Turnblad,” Lauren Meyer as “Amber Von Tussle,” Sarah Sloan as “Velma Von Tussle,” Scott Taylor-Cole as “Corny Collins,” Bonnie Lafer as “Prudy Pingleton/Others,” Kim Larsen as “Principal/Male Authority,” Stephen Kanaski as “Brad, NC,” Ronald James as “Fender, NC,” Emma Sutherland as “Brenda, NC,” Brendan Looney as “Sketch, NC,” Claire Pearson as “Tammy, NC,” Steven McCloud as “I.Q., NC,” Peli Naomi Woods as “Detention Kid/Dynamite,” Smita Patibanda as “Detention Kid/Dynamite,” Chanel Tilghman as “Detention Kid/Dynamite,” April Deutschle as “Detention Kid,” Carlos Carrillo as “Detention Kid,” Zoe Hodge as “Detention Kid” and Ajay Prater as “Detention Kid.”
In addition to Mr. McCoy and Mr. Gallo, the creative team will include Cat Knight as Stage Manager, Andie Fanelli as Assistant Stage Manager, Lynn Grand as Set Designer, Brooke Jennings as Costume Designer, Eric Johnson as Lighting Designer, Anton Hedman as Sound Engineer, Clay David as Prop Designer, Jackie Dennis as Wig Designer, Richard Guiterez as Wardrobe Master and Stewart Lyle as Technical Director.
HAIRSPRAY runs approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes, including one intermission.
Bay Area Musicals’ upcoming 2019-2020 season will include the powerful 6-time Tony Award-winning GYPSY (November 9 – December 8, 2019), the hysterical 10-time Tony Award-nominated THE FULL MONTY (February 15 – March 15, 2020), the game-changing Tony Award-winning Best Musical A CHORUS LINE (April 11 – May 10, 2020) and one more exciting production to be announced (July 11 – August 9, 2020). GYPSY and A CHORUS LINE will perform at San Francisco’s Alcazar Theatre (650 Geary Street, San Francisco, CA 94103) and THE FULL MONTY (as well as the mystery season finale) will perform at San Francisco’s Victoria Theatre (2961 16th Street, San Francisco, CA 94103). Subscriptions to the 2019-2020 season are available now at www.bamsf.org.
Bay Area Musicals (BAM!) is a professional, non-profit theatre organization dedicated to presenting the highest-caliber of musical theatre in San Francisco. Founded in 2014, the Company strives to stimulate and inspire the San Francisco Bay Area community through high-caliber musical theater ranging from familiar classics to challenging new works; to produce professional musical theater at accessible ticket rates; and to engage the community through performance, outreach, and educational opportunities. For more information, visit www.bamsf.org.
