By snoadmin
Big girls, big hair and even bigger dreams. Musical Theatre West travels back to the 1960s with “Hairspray,” opening its 59th consecutive season.
The John Waters musical chronicles teenager Tracy Turnblad’s (Victoria Morgan) fight for becoming a big star and struggle to get equal rights for blacks and whites in ‘60s Baltimore. Tracy, a fuller-figured girl, dreams of being a performer on the Corny Collins Show, as well as stealing the heart of the hunky Link Larkin (Derek Klena).
When she auditions for the Corny Collins Show, she mentions that she wants to integrate the dominately-white TV show and “make everyday negro day.” This outrages Velma Von Tussle (Tracy Lore) and her daughter, Amber (Lauren Smolka), who strive for stardom. The two do everything in their power to make sure Tracy doesn’t succeed in fame, getting the boy or getting equal rights.
As Tracy, Morgan is delightful, and it’s easy for the crowd to root for her. She shows the youthfulness and drive that Tracy possesses, as well as has a wide vocal range. Constantly smiling, it is hard to look away from Morgan and not share her joy.
When she first appears on stage to sing “Good Morning Baltimore,” it is obvious that Tracy is big, loud and proud. She is the epitome of what girls should strive for — not caring about what anyone thinks, including about body image. Morgan plays the character well, exhibiting the confidence that is needed to pull off a believable Tracy, and showing someone that can be looked up to.
In this production, Morgan is paired with Klena, who is charming as Link. The starlet shows off a young Elvis-like persona, which Klena does well. He is constantly dancing, has a catchy singing voice and is quite the looker. Oddly enough, at times, Klena has a striking resemblance to Zac Efron, who played Link in the 2007 film adaptation of “Hairspray.” Like Efron, Klena is easy to swoon over, making his attempt at Link even more believable.
Jim J. Bullock and Barry Pearl are a surprising hit in this production. As Tracy’s parents, Edna and Wilbur, respectively, Bullock and Pearl are adorable together, constantly showing that they stand by their daughter and are “timeless” to each other, as they sing in their show-stealing number, “Timeless to Me.”
Dressed in complete drag, Bullock is hilarious as Edna. He truly embraces his feminine side, and it shows. However, he still adds some masculinity, like keeping a deep voice, which adds to the overall humor of his character. At times, he and Pearl show playful banter, joking to one another and showing brilliant chemistry. The two exchange moments of improvisation together and joke around, showing how comfortable they are with each other.
Pearl is entertaining as Wilbur, showing utter devotion to his wife and full support for his daughter. Pearl is best known for his performance as Doody in the Paramount Pictures film, “Grease.” It is nice to see that despite all the years since the classic movie, he is still as talented as ever, possibly shining even more in his “Hairspray” performance than in his “Grease” one because of how much he has the audience in stitches with every joke.
The musical also has a wonderful ensemble cast. Gwen Stewart is captivating as Motormouth Maybelle, a black woman who wants to see equality. She has a commanding stage presence, and her deep alto voice is breathtaking in her performance of “I Know Where I’ve Been.” Stewart is arguably the best singer in the show, and it’s truly a shame that she doesn’t get very many solos. “I Know Where I’ve Been,” though beautiful and emotional, can usually seem like a repetitive and long song, even when sung by someone like Queen Latifah in the 2007 film. However, Stewart’s voice is just alluring and the audience is left in awe by the time she is done singing.
The choreography, by Lee Martino, is also great. From classic dances like the “Madison” to aerial flips, the cast does a stunning job dancing. One notable scene shows the students playing dodgeball against one another. Displaying true organized chaos, the cast dances around the stage while throwing bouncy, red balls at one another, and catching them. This is done perfectly, and none of the dancers are off beat in this number, despite the distraction of throwing and catching balls.
Overall, Musical Theatre West succeeds once again with “Hairspray.” The production showcases Broadway-like quality and superb acting and singing. Goal-driven individuals will be able to identify with Tracy, as well as dance and sing along — it really is hard to sit still during this production because it is just so much fun.
“Hairspray” runs through Nov. 13. at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center. Ticket prices start at $20. Performances are Thursdays and Fridays at 8 p.m.; Saturdays at 2 p.m.; and Sundays at 8 p.m. For tickets and more information, visit musical.org.
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