Darlene Love to Join Hairspray Cast in July; Winokur Extends Return Stint

Darlene Love will return to Broadway next month as Motormouth Maybelle in the Tony Award-winning musical Hairspray, replacing Mary Bond Davis, who has played the part since the show opened in July 2002.

Famous for her 1960s pop hits, such as “He’s A Rebel,” Love has appeared on Broadway in Grease, Leader of the Pack, and Carrie. Among her film credits, she played Danny Glover’s wife in all four installments of the Lethal Weapon series. She is also a popular concert artist.

In related news: Marissa Jaret Winokur, who won a Tony Award for creating the role of Tracy Turnblad in Hairspray and who is one of the stars of the FOX-TV comedy Stacked, has extended her return engagement in the musical through July 17. Also, it has been reported that Jack O’ Brien and Jerry Mitchell, the director and choreographer of Hairspray, are no longer involved with the upcoming film version of the property; shooting is now scheduled to begin in the spring of 2006 and the movie’s release has been postponed from Christmas 2006 to the summer of 2007.