Hairspray

This was also published for the Front Row Reviewers Website, click here.

SCERA’s current production of “Hairspray” proves once again that comedy has great power to enrich an audience when approached from a serious position but allowing the rich comedy to entertain and leave an audience with sheer joy but also leaving it with sense of enrichment and their lives made better by experiencing it.

                

As director Jan Shelton Hunsaker states in her director’s notes that back in 1962, America was in the midst of a great civil rights struggle and today we are fighting an even greater one. 

Muslims, immigration, the LGBTQ community, modern society’s views of beauty, obesity, and the list goes on and on. It seems that in every way, this country is polarizing and people are becoming more distant from one another. Hairspray celebrates love, life, family, community and through the heroic and optimistic eyes of the shows heroine, Tracy, we see that we are all alike and that diversity, acceptance, tolerance are traits that should be admired and encouraged not ridiculed and discouraged.

Jan Shelton Hunsaker’s production of “Hairspray” soars onto the stage with this background and message but taking the wonderful book by Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan, the fantastic score by March Shaiman and Scott Wittman, and relishing the wonderful comedy that is this show at its heart. An audience is much more receptive to soul searching and looking at itself when presented through the rose colored glasses of musical comedy. All great musical comedies throughout the history of theater have done this, and “Hairspray” is no exception.

Jan and her brother Brad’s scenic design captured the heart of the 60’s but with a great musical theater style and was simple in its presentation. Deborah Bowman’s wonderful costumes were bright, colorful and a feast for the eyes as well as a great way to distinguish between characters which helps on the Shell’s large stage and Deborah is a master at this and her designs never disappoint! Elizabeth Griffiths lighting was the most elaborate I’ve ever seen on the Shell stage but helped to convey the energy and excitement of this show. 

First and foremost, the ensemble work in this show was great. The energy was there and I know will continue to expand and increase in energy each night of the run, which is the nature of theater itself, and the energy of the ensemble was infectious. Yes, for opening night the ensemble was not as energetic as they could be, but that’s understandable for opening night and I know will get better throughout the course of the run. I saw it in each and every one of them. Chelsea Lindsay’s Tracy Turnblad was unique and was the first time I had seen an actress play this role with equal optimism but also realistic expectations and she ended up being the true heroine of the piece because of the approach Chelsea took towards the role. From the opening number, I was hooked and rooting for her the entire evening! Her infectious laugh was endearing and I just wanted to be up on stage with her taking the journey with her.  Tearza Foyston’s Penny Pingleton was the surprise of the evening. Anyone who knows me is aware of my feelings towards the recent NBC’s production of this show and the horrible portrayal that was done with this character; Tearza’s was bright, funny, endearing and together, she and Tracy were a force to be reckoned with. Her journey from innocence to allowing herself to have fun and take more risks was believable and a joy to watch. What can I say about Andrew Lloyd Hunsaker and his incredible, hilarious and moving portrayal of Tracy’s mother, Edna? Andrew is an actor I’ve admired and loved for a very long time! He embodies each of his roles with professionalism and a love for each character he portrays; Edna is no exception. He took command of the stage every time he was on and I fell in love with Edna and Tracy’s relationship from the start and Andrew played this role as it should be, a complex and beautiful wife and mother, who would do anything for her family. There were many times throughout the evening I forgot Andrew was playing the role, I only saw Edna! The male leads, Dennis Wright (Wilbur Turnblad), Jaxon Dayton (Link Larkin), Kristian Huff (Corny Collins), and Michael Thomas (Seaweed J. Stubbs) were all fun to watch and each portrayed their characters with integrity and honesty. Our villains: Leslie Preator-Keckley (Velma Von Tussle) and Sasha Sloan (Amber Von Tussle) were hilarious and fun and I loved the fact they didn’t portray them as cardboard villains; they are human, a product of their time, and in the end join the community and there is some hope for them. Last but not least, the incredible Luseane Pasa as Motormouth Maybelle. What a shining star! This is my favorite character in the show and Luseane brought such integrity and compassion to the role and is the one that brings the message of the show to the audience, the great 11 o’clock number, “I Know Where I’ve Been.” A final compliment to Daisy Allred as Little Inez; what a wonderful character and her energy was infectious the entire evening; thank you for making a small character so big and full of life.

Finally, to Tiffany Winkel Nutter. You did such a wonderful job with the music and your choreography was unique and added so much to the production. There was dance in portions that I have never seen dance in before, and it added so much to those scenes and to the portrayal of the story. It’s a big job to handle such a large ensemble, and you did it with professionalism and great style. Welcome back to Utah! I missed you!

Thank you to SCERA for producing this great piece of musical theater. This is a show not to be missed! If you’ve never seen it before, get yourself down to Orem and experience what is “Hairspray.” You will not regret it! I had a great evening!