Michael Ball has been one of my favorite musical theatre performers for as long as I can remember, so I just had to laugh when I heard about this!
Michael Ball, who is best known for his creation of the role of Marius in Les Miserables and more recently in the West End’s The Phantom of the Opera, will make his cross-dressing debut as Edna Turnblad in the London production of Hairspray!
(He is also making his English National Opera debut in Kismet this summer, from June 27 through July 14! And don’t forget to check out his latest album, shown above!)
Michael Ball told the Daily Mail, “The secret is to play Edna as a woman and not as a man in drag. You behave like a woman and you convince people and find the pathos, the way Dustin Hoffman did in ‘Tootsie.’”
He will be donning the wig and house dress, as several other theatrical men have done in the past, including Harvey Fierstein (who won a Tony Award), and John Travolta, who can be seen this summer in the film version.
Hairspray, featuring Michael Ball, will begin previews on October 11 at London’s Shaftesbury Theatre, with an official opening date of October 30. It was originally set to open this summer at London’s Adelphi Theatre, but the date was pushed so as to not interfere with the July movie release.
After it premiered on Broadway in 2002, Hairspray won eight 2003 Tonys, including Best Musical.
The musical is based on the 1988 John Waters movie, which developed a cult-following.
The website describes it thus:
In Hairspray it’s 1962 - the ’50s are out and change is in the air. Baltimore’s Tracy Turnblad, a big girl with big hair and an even bigger heart, has only one passion–to dance. She wins a spot on the local TV dance program, “The Corny Collins Show” and, overnight, is transformed from outsider to irrepressible teen celebrity. But can a trendsetter in dance and fashion vanquish the program’s reigning princess, win the heart of heartthrob Link Larkin, and integrate a television show without denting her ‘do? Only in Hairspray! Welcome to the ’60s!
I just can’t imagine Michael Ball in this role, but I’m sure he’ll be wonderful! If you get to see it, do share your thoughts with us!
Technorati Tags: Hairspray, Michael Ball, West End, London, Les Miserables, The Phantom of the Opera, Les Mis, Les Miz, Edna Turnblad, John Waters, Broadway, Broadway Musicals, Musicals, Musical Theatre, Musical Theater, Broadway Musical
3 responses so far ↓
1 Steve On Broadway (SOB) // Jun 25, 2007 at 11:41 am
I enjoyed Michael Ball when I saw the London staging of “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” about five years ago. I’m with you though, I have a hard time seeing him as Edna Turnblad…lately, he’s been donning a full beard around London, perhaps because soon he won’t be able to have any facial hair. One wonders if he’ll also go as far as Harvey Fierstein and wax his brow!
2 HarryJ // Jul 17, 2007 at 12:36 am
The beard was grown for the role of Hajj in Kismet which he has just finished in. I saw Kismet and Michael showed good comic timing and I can see him doing this role on the strength of that.
3 HarryJ // Oct 22, 2007 at 11:32 am
I have now seen Michael Ball as Edna he is brilliant (as are the whole cast). His ‘Timeless to me’ duet with Mel Smith stopped the show. I will be going back again…very soon
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