HAIRSPRAY

35 artists, 350 costumes, 150 pairs of shoes, 350 stage props, 770 lighting changes, 41 scene changes, and much more for Hairspray, the most overwhelming musical on Broadway, which arrives on Thursday, February 12, at the Teatro Cartiere Carrara in Florence.

Inspired by the film “Hairspray,” the show directed by Denny Lanza will feature Eraldo Moretto, known as “La Cesira,” in the role of Edna Turnblad, mother of the young protagonist Tracy, and Matilde Brandi as the very wicked Velma Von Tussle.

After the enormous success received on Broadway, Hairspray returns to Italy with a new production by Musical Times. The show debuted in New York in 2002 and ran for 2,642 performances until January 2009. The Broadway production won 8 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Original Score, Best Leading Actress (Marissa Jaret Winokur), and Best Leading Actor (Harvey Fierstein) and Best Featured Actor (Dick Latessa). A similar success occurred on the banks of the Thames, where the musical was in the lineup for almost three years, winning four Laurence Olivier Awards.

Hairspray is a lively musical comedy set in Baltimore in the early '60s that addresses themes of body shaming, inclusion, and social redemption. The story follows Tracy Turnblad, an overweight teenager who pursues her dream of dancing on a popular television show. The direction and choreography intentionally nod to the versions from across the ocean, using dance as a narrative tool and not just as an accessory.