'Hairspray' Marissa Jaret Winokur returns to the role of Tracy Turnbald

The producers of the Broadway musical Hairspray have announced that Marissa Jaret Winokur will reprise her Tony Award-winning performance as Tracy Turnblad when she rejoins the cast on the 8 Jun through to the 3 Jul 2005 at the Neil Simon Theatre.

Hairspray opened at the Neil Simon Theatre on the 15 Aug 2002, following previews from the 18 Jul. The show is currently booking to the 31 Dec 2005.

Ms. Winokur was asked to step in at the last minute when the actress playing the role was forced to leave because of vocal ailments. She returns to her star-making role during a hiatus from her hit television series, 'Stacked.' Ms Winokur's last appearance in the musical was on the 10 Aug 2003.

In addition to receiving the 2003 Tony Award for best actress in a musical, Ms. Winokur won the Drama Desk, Outer Critics� Circle, and Theater World awards for Hairspray. She can currently be seen on Fox�s new hit series, 'Stacked,' where she stars alongside Pamela Anderson and Christopher Lloyd. She is also co-starring with Drew Barrymore and Jimmy Fallon in the Farrelly Brothers feature film 'Fever Pitch'.

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 plus-size 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!

Marissa Jaret Winokur will co-star with Bruce Vilanch who plays the agoraphobic Edna Turnblad. The cast also includes Jordan Ballard, Richard H. Blake, Jim J. Bullock, Mary Bond Davis, Jonathan Dokuchitz, Chester Gregory II, Julie Halston, Blake Hammond, Tracy Miller, Nia Imani Soyemi, Barbara Walsh, and Todd Susman, Jon Abraham, Lindsay Nicole Chambers, Eric L. Christian, Shannon Durig, Leslie Goddard, Becky Gulsvig, Carla J. Hargrove, Tyurick Wiltez Jones, Leslie Kritzer, Abdul Latif, Rusty Mowery, Cjay Hardy Philip, Nicole Powell, Andrew Rannells, Terita R. Redd, Kathleen Shields, Peter Matthew Smith, Todd Michel Smith, Bryan West, Tommar Wilson, and Candice Marie Woods.

Hairspray is based on the New Line Cinema film written and directed by John Waters, who serves as a creative consultant on the musical comedy. It features a book by Mark O�Donnell and Thomas Meehan, and a score by five-time Academy Award nominee Marc Shaiman and lyrics by Shaiman and Scott Wittman. Hairspray is directed by Jack O�Brien and choreographed by Jerry Mitchell; scenic design is by David Rockwell; costume design is by William Ivey Long; lighting design is by Kenneth Posner; and sound design is by Steve C. Kennedy.

Hairspray, which celebrates its third anniversary on Broadway in August 2005, is the winner of eight 2003 Tony Awards, including best musical, best actor (Harvey Fierstein), best actress (Ms. Winokur), best featured actor (Dick Latessa), best score (Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman), best book (Mark O�Donnell and Thomas Meehan), best director (Jack O�Brien), and best costume design (William Ivey Long). The musical also swept every one of the year�s best musical awards, winning, in addition to the Tony, the New York Drama Critics Circle Award, the Drama Desk Award, the Outer Critics Circle Award, and the Drama League Award.

Hairspray is produced by Margo Lion; Adam Epstein; The Baruch�Viertel�Routh�Frankel Group; James D. Stern/Douglas L. Meyer; Rick Steiner/Frederic H. Mayerson; SEL & GFO; New Line Cinema, in association with Clear Channel Entertainment; A. Gordon/E. McAllister; D. Harris/M. Swinsky; J. & B. Osher.