Hairspray (musical) 99% capacity; for 2007 it averaged 86%. A film version was released in July 2007. The film was directed and choreographed by Adam Shankman and starred John Travolta as Edna Turnblad, Christopher Walken as Wilbur Turnblad, Queen Latifah as Maybelle, Michelle Pfeiffer as Velma Von Tussle, James Marsden as Corny Collins, and Nikki Blonsky as Tracy Turnblad. Hugh Jackman and Joey McIntyre were both considered to play the role of Corny Collins, but lost to Jackman's "X-Men" co-star Marsden. NBC's "Hairspray Live!", directed by Kenny Leon and Alex Rudzinski, aired in December 2016 to mostly positive reviews. Sources: PlaybillVault; Internet
Giant (musical) Giant (musical) Giant is a musical based on the 1952 Edna Ferber novel of the same name, with music and lyrics by Michael John LaChiusa and the book by Sybille Pearson. The musical premiered at the Signature Theatre in Arlington, Virginia in 2009. The story follows a ranch family in Texas over 30 years, and the effect of the oil boom. The musical premiered Off-Broadway in 2012. Edna Ferber's great-niece, Julie Gilbert, had approached LaChiusa about five years ago to write a musical based on the novel "Giant". LaChiusa and Pearson initially thought it impossible to stage as a musical.