Brian Conley to Return to West End's Hairspray, Joined by Former Monkees Star Micky Dolenz

By Mark Shenton
November 26, 2009

Brian Conley is to return to the West End cast of Hairspray from Feb. 2, 2010, to play Edna Turnblad once again. He will be newly joined by U.S stage and screen star Micky Dolenz, who will play Edna's husband Wilbur.

Conley previously played Edna when he took over from Michael Ball in July 2009 and played through October. The roles of Edna and Wilbur are currently respectively being played by comedian Phill Jupitus and Tony Timberlake, who remains in the show through Jan. 31.

Dolenz is an actor, musician, writer and director. Starting out as a child star on U.S. television in "Circus Boy," he shot to fame in the globally successful, Emmy Award winning NBC television show "The Monkees." Playing a band in the show, the actors were also hugely successful as a chart group with international hits including "I'm a Believer," "Last Train To Clarksville" and "Daydream Believer." He has subsequently guested in many television shows, provided voiceover for countless animated series and written, produced and directed for television, notably in the UK as lead producer/director on the hit children's show "Metal Mickey." He has also appeared in Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida on Broadway and on stage in the USA in Pippin, Grease and A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Forum. In 1983, Dolenz directed a stage version of Alan Parker's Bugsy Malone at the West End's Her Majesty's Theatre, the cast of which included a then unknown 14-year-old Catherine Zeta-Jones. In a press statement, Dolenz commented on joining the cast of Hairspray, "I remember going to the original premiere of the movie in the '80s. I loved the piece then and I love it now. Having four daughters, I can certainly relate to Wilbur's love and support for his little girl."

Conley, who began his career as a holiday camp entertainer or British company Pontin's and then started his television career as a warm-up man for Terry Wogan, Noel Edmonds and Kenny Everett, has appeared on TV in his own series, "Brian Conley: This Way Up" and "The Brian Conley Show," as well as in the sitcom "Time After Time" (awarded the British Comedy Award for Best ITV sitcom), and playing Doug "Dynamo" Digby in "The Gimleys."

Prior to his previous run in Hairspray, Conley was most recently seen onstage in 2008 in Chichester Festival Theatre's production of The Music Man. Other West End roles include taking over in Me and My Girl at the Adelphi Theatre, originating the title role in Jolson at the Victoria Palace Theatre, appearing in David Farr's Elton John's Glasses at the Queen's Theatre, and starring as Caracticus Potts in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang! at the London Palladium, subsequently recreating the role on national tour.

Among his awards, he has won The National Television Award for Most Popular Comedy Performer, Show Business Personality of the Year and Most Popular Performer in the 2004 Manchester Evening News Theatre Awards.

Conley and Dolenz join Chlöe Hart, who continues her run as their daughter, Tracy.

To book tickets, contact the box office on 020 7379 5399, or visit www.hairspraythemusical.com.