Lance Bass will join the Broadway cast of “Hairspray” on Aug. 14. The former ‘N Sync boy band member will portray TV dance show host Corny Collins, a role modeled after legendary Baltimore disc jockey Buddy Deane, said Richard Kornberg, a spokesman for the show.
The long-running musical, which opened Aug. 15, 2002, at the Neil Simon Theatre, is based on John Waters’ cult film set in 1960s Baltimore. It currently stars Shannon Durig as Tracy Turnblad, a pudgy dance-obsessed teen, and Paul C. Vogt as her equally full-figured mother, Edna.
Also in the current cast is Jerry Mathers, best known as Beaver Cleaver in the classic sitcom “Leave It to Beaver.” Mathers portrays Wilbur Turnblad, Tracy’s dad, in the show.
The movie version of the musical, starring John Travolta as Edna, opens later this month.