Performances at the Pantages Theatre continue to Sept. 5, with writer, celebrity — and now musical comedy actor — Bruce Vilanch playing Tracy's zaftig mom, Edna Turnblad. Winokur won her Tony for Best Actress in a Musical.
For every city but Los Angeles, Keala Settle plays Tracy. First seen in the John Waters movie, "Hairspray," Tracy Turnblad is the portly Baltimore teen who changes the face of local TV forever when she promotes integration on a dance show. She also falls in love with the coolest guy in school (heartthrob Link) and gets her mother, Edna, a fantastic makeover.
The role of Tracy was created in the movie by Ricki Lake.
The smash musical continues on Broadway at the Neil Simon Theatre, where Michael McKean is Edna. Come October, Vilanch moves to Broadway. John Pinette, the girthy comedian, will play Edna starting in September in Seattle.
