Tracy's Back! Marissa Jaret Winokur to Return to Hairspray
by Broadway.com Staff • Nov 18, 2008
Tony Award winner and original show-stopper Marissa Jaret Winokur is headed back to Hairspray on December 9, returning to the Neil Simon Theater as the lovable Tracy Turnblad and reuniting with former co-star Harvey Fierstein, who reprised his role as Edna Turnblad on November 11 for the final stretch of the acclaimed musical. The show is slated to close on January 4, 2009.
"Hairspray changed my life," explained Winokur to Broadway.com about reprising the role. "I can't imagine being anywhere else for the final performance than on stage."
Following her departure from Hairspray, Winokur was featured on the Pamela Anderson TV series Stacked, voiced characters on the animated series American Dad! and King of the Hill, and turned in a memorable performance as a contestant on Season 6 of the hit reality TV series Dancing With the Stars. In addition to Fierstein, Winokur joins cast members Karen Mason as Velma Von Tussle, Tevin Campbell as Seaweed J. Stubbs, Charlotte Crossley as Motormouth Maybelle, Kate Loprest as Amber Von Tussle, Ken Marks as Wilbur Turnblad, Kevin Meaney as Male Authority Figure, Susan Mosher as Female Authority Figure, Constantine Rousouli as Link Larkin, Niki Scalera as Penny Pingleton, Clarke Thorell as Corny Collins and Melissa VanPelt as Inez. Based on the 1988 feature film by John Waters, Hairspray opened on Broadway on August 15, 2002, going on to win eight 2003 Tony Awards, including Best Actress in a Musical for Winokur and Best Actor in a Musical for Fierstein. The show features a book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan, music by Marc Shaiman, and lyrics by Shaiman and Scott Wittman and was directed by Jack O'Brien. Hairspray the musical was adapted into a hit feature film in 2007.
"Hairspray changed my life," explained Winokur to Broadway.com about reprising the role. "I can't imagine being anywhere else for the final performance than on stage."
Following her departure from Hairspray, Winokur was featured on the Pamela Anderson TV series Stacked, voiced characters on the animated series American Dad! and King of the Hill, and turned in a memorable performance as a contestant on Season 6 of the hit reality TV series Dancing With the Stars. In addition to Fierstein, Winokur joins cast members Karen Mason as Velma Von Tussle, Tevin Campbell as Seaweed J. Stubbs, Charlotte Crossley as Motormouth Maybelle, Kate Loprest as Amber Von Tussle, Ken Marks as Wilbur Turnblad, Kevin Meaney as Male Authority Figure, Susan Mosher as Female Authority Figure, Constantine Rousouli as Link Larkin, Niki Scalera as Penny Pingleton, Clarke Thorell as Corny Collins and Melissa VanPelt as Inez. Based on the 1988 feature film by John Waters, Hairspray opened on Broadway on August 15, 2002, going on to win eight 2003 Tony Awards, including Best Actress in a Musical for Winokur and Best Actor in a Musical for Fierstein. The show features a book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan, music by Marc Shaiman, and lyrics by Shaiman and Scott Wittman and was directed by Jack O'Brien. Hairspray the musical was adapted into a hit feature film in 2007.