Shannon Durig Is Hairspray‘s New Tracy Turnblad

Shannon Durig will take over the leading role of Tracy Turnblad in the Broadway production of Hairspray on July 19, succeeding Marissa Jaret Winokur, who created the part and returned earlier this summer for a six-week stint. Durig was previously a Tracy understudy on Broadway.

The show currently stars Bruce Vilanch as Edna Turnblad, Todd Sussman as Wilbur Turnblad, Richard Blake as Link Larkin, Chester Gregory III as Seaweed J. Stubbs, Barbara Walsh as Velma von Tussle, and Darlene Love as Motormouth Maybelle. The national tour of Hairspray is now at the Kennedy Center with Keala Settle as Tracy, Stephen DeRosa as Wilbur, and John Pinette as Edna; Pinette is scheduled to headline the Broadway company this fall, after Vilanch’s departure.

Hairspray opened at the Neil Simon Theatre on August 15, 2002. The production won eight Tony Awards in 2003, including Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, and Best Score. A film version is in the planning stages.