Kate Reinders is Hairspray's Next Penny
by Broadway Staff • Sep 15, 2004
Broadway.com has learned that Kate Reinders will be Hairspray's next Penny Pingleton. She is set to begin performances in the featured role on October 5.
Reinders, who recently appeared in the premiere of the new musical Nerds up at Vassar College, is best known for playing Dainty June in Gypsy. She also understudied the role of Becky Thatcher in the Broadway production of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and the roles of Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel and Milky-White in Into the Woods. Reinders was originally announced to play Snow White in the revival, but the character was cut before the show opened its Los Angeles tryout. Among her other notable theatrical credits are the pre-Broadway runs of A Year With Frog and Toad, which she did not appear in on the Great White Way with because of her commitment to Gyspy. It was actually Hairspray's current Penny, Jennifer Gambatese, who played Reinders' roles in the Broadway mounting of Frog and Toad.
Reinders, who recently appeared in the premiere of the new musical Nerds up at Vassar College, is best known for playing Dainty June in Gypsy. She also understudied the role of Becky Thatcher in the Broadway production of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and the roles of Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel and Milky-White in Into the Woods. Reinders was originally announced to play Snow White in the revival, but the character was cut before the show opened its Los Angeles tryout. Among her other notable theatrical credits are the pre-Broadway runs of A Year With Frog and Toad, which she did not appear in on the Great White Way with because of her commitment to Gyspy. It was actually Hairspray's current Penny, Jennifer Gambatese, who played Reinders' roles in the Broadway mounting of Frog and Toad.
Hairspray currently stars Michael McKean as Edna Turnblad, Carly Jibson as Tracy Turnblad, Peter Scolari as Wilbur Turnblad, Richard H. Blake as Link Larkin, Chester Gregory II as Seaweed J. Stubbs, Tracy Jai Edwards as Amber Von Tussle, Gambatese as Penny Pingleton, Mary Bond Davis as Motormouth Maybelle and Barbara Walsh as Velma Von Tussle. McKean, Scolari, Edwards and Gambatese are all scheduled to play their final performance on October 3. Starting with Reinders on October 5 will be Bruce Vilanch as Edna Turnblad, Todd Susman as Wilbur Turnblad and Jordan Ballard as Amber Von Tussle.
--Cara Joy David, Broadway.com