VIDEO: Marc Shaiman & Scott Wittman Celebrate 20 Years of HAIRSPRAY

Hairspray opened on Broadway at the Neil Simon Theatre on August 15, 2002.

By: Aug. 15, 2022
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Twenty years ago today, Tracy Turnblad first greeted the morning at the Neil Simon Theatre. 2642 "Good Morning Baltiomore"s and over six years later, Hairspray concluded its epic run, cementing its place in musical theatre history. How did John Waters' cult-classic film become one of Broadway's most beloved musicals? It wouldn't have happened without songwriting team Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman.

"I think we got John [Waters]' humor and the largeness of the story," explained Wittman in a recent interview with BroadwayWorld's Richard Ridge. "And it was a period of music that we were both very adept at writing."

Will Broadway ever see a Hairspray revival? "It's ready!" said Shaiman. "We've made changes to the script. Things have happened in our modern world that have made us go back to the script and finessed some moments, without loosing what the show is. Humor has changed over the years and we made some smart adjustments."

watch as Scott and Marc reminisce about Hairspray's road to the stage, chat about the musical's legacy, and share tidbits on their latest Broadway-bound project, Some Liek It Hot.



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