DANCING HER WAY TO TV: Niki Metcalf plays Tracy Turnblad, the 16-year-old dancing fanatic in the musical “Hairspray,” which comes to the State Theatre New Jersey April 29 through May 1 as part of a national tour.

State Theatre New Jersey presents Broadway’s Tony Award-winning musical comedy Hairspray for four performances on Friday, April 29 at 8 p.m.; Saturday, April 30 at 2 and 8 p.m.; and Sunday, May 1 at 2 p.m.

The national tour’s cast will be led by Andrew Levitt, aka Nina West (from RuPaul’s Drag Race) as Edna Turnblad; and Niki Metcalf as Tracy Turnblad, who makes her way onto a TV dance show in 1960s Baltimore, stealing hearts along the way. This new touring production reunites Broadway’s award-winning creative team, led by director Jack O’Brien and choreographer Jerry Mitchell. The show is based on the New Line Cinema film written and directed by John Waters, who served as a creative consultant on the musical comedy.

Hairspray premiered at Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theater in June 2002. The show was a hit when it transferred to Broadway, winning eight 2003 Tony Awards including Best Musical, and became the longest-running musical to play the Neil Simon Theater, running 2,642 performances from July 18, 2002 until January 4, 2009. It is the 22nd longest running show in Broadway history.  

The State Theatre is at 15 Livingston Avenue. Visit STNJ.org for tickets, which are $40-$98.