Hairspray (2007 film) the 1988 John Waters film upon which the stage musical is based, became interested in adapting the stage show as a musical film. Development work began in late 2004, while a similarly film-to-Broadway-to-film project, Mel Brooks' "The Producers", was in production. Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, the executive producers of the Academy Award-winning film adaptation of the Broadway musical "Chicago", were hired as the producers for "Hairspray", and began discussing possibly casting John Travolta and Billy Crystal (or Jim Broadbent) as Edna and Wilbur Turnblad, respectively. Thomas Meehan and Mark O'Donnell, authors of the book for the stage musical, wrote
Billy (musical) it 'the brightest British musical for years…it's going to hoist brilliant Michael Crawford into the ranks of the superstars.' " The Original Cast recording was released by CBS (70133) on May 1, 1974. Billy (musical) Billy is a musical based on the novel and play "Billy Liar" by Keith Waterhouse and Willis Hall. The book was written by Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais, the music is by John Barry, and the lyrics are by Don Black. "Billy" opened at the Palace Theatre in Manchester before moving to the West End at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane on 1 May