Shanghai Grand Theater will stage Hairspray, an American musical, from July 5 to 20.

Shanghai will be the first Asian city to host the musical, according to Fang Shizhong, president of the theater.

Altogether 20 performances of the musical, starring Brooklynn Pulver, will be played at the Shanghai theater, said Fang, who failed to disclose the cost for importing the musical.

Shanghai Grand Theater has imported about a dozen musicals since 2002 and won huge success with those performances.

"The import of Hairspray has enabled Shanghai to pulse with the international market in terms of operation of musicals," said Fang, "Shanghai has become an emerging city for the industry of musicals in Asia, following in the footsteps of Broadway in New York and London's West End."

(Xinhua News Agency March 7, 2008)