Stage Electrics is supplying all lighting and electrics for the London production of Hairspray, winner of the Evening Standard Best Musical Award and Critics Choice for Best Musical and currently playing at London’s Shaftesbury Theatre. The show recently made West End history by receiving 11 Olivier Award nominations, more than any other show in the ceremony's history.The stage musical follows the original 1988 Hairspray film which launched the career of talk show host Ricki Lake as the dance crazy Tracy Turnblad. The 2007 New Line Cinema film based on the stage show starred John Travolta almost unrecognisable as Edna Turnblad. The theatre show is produced by Stage Entertainment and members of the original Broadway producing team.

The musical features an original score by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman and is directed by Jack O’Brien and choreographed by Jerry Mitchell. Stars of the show are Michael Ball and Leanne Jones, whose own progression to fame in her first professional role mirrors in some way the hefty heroines. Hairspray is also currently showing in Broadway and South Africa.

Over 200 ETC Source 4’s are being supplied to the UK production together with 15 VL2000 washes, 6 of the brand new VL2500 spots, 24 MAC 2000 profiles, 10 MAC 2000 performance and over 100 Rainbow Pro scrollers.

Flexibility comes from Wybron Colour Mixing CXI ‘IT’ Scrollers, 16 of which are employed on the show. This brand new product features Wybrons ‘Infotrace’ system allowing active feedback of all parameters of the scroller including heat, gel degradation, voltage sensing and even an aperture light sensor detecting whether the fixture lamp is on.

Because of the nature of the set, over 24 circuits of City Theatrical Radio Dimming control the practical fittings ensuring the easiest scene changes.

Due to the large amount of on-stage LED fittings, three consoles control the show. The main ETC Obsession2 with tracking backup remotely triggers 2 x Hog IPC consoles each with its own Hog PC full tracking backup. The consoles are linked by midi so can be triggered by a single go button off the Obsession.

Lighting Designer is Ken Posner with US associate LD Philip Rosenberg and UK associate LD Alistair Grant, Production Electrician is Peter Lambert. This is the second consecutive Stage Entertainment show that Stage Electrics has supplied at the Shaftesbury Theatre, previously supplying Fame.