Starting tonight, It’s Only Tuesday Productions will stage the musical “Hairspray” at the Arbor Court Community Theater in Lancaster.
The hit Broadway show about social differences and tolerance in the 1960s has never been produced in the Antelope Valley before. Hairspray is the first musical that director Elijah Hargreaves has directed.
“The biggest challenges have been making sure that what the playwright wanted is what is being portrayed on the stage,” Hargreaves said.
The musical, set in 1962 Baltimore, follows the adventures of Tracy Turnblad, a plump, good-natured teenager who dreams of dancing on the hip, teen-oriented Corny Collins Show.
When Tracy’s dream becomes a reality and she skyrockets to fame, she must also learn how to fight back against the social injustices of the 1960s.
“Hairspray is all about segregation,” said Erin Berry, who plays Tracy in some performances. “It’s all about social status, too.”
“It’s about a girl who happens to be fat,” said Michelle Piccirillo Hargreaves, who also plays Tracy. “She has really big dreams and everyone around her tries to push her down because of the way she looks.”
Tracy is helped by her also-plump mother, Edna (typically played by a man in drag), Wilbur, her kooky, joke store owning father, teen heartthrob Link, sensational African-American singer and dancer Seaweed, Seaweed’s mother Motormouth Maybelle and dim but trusty best friend Penny.
Standing in Tracy’s way is the mother-daughter duo of Velma and Amber Von Tussle. Velma is the producer of The Corny Collins Show, where daughter Amber is the lead female dancer. Amber also vies for Link’s attention with Tracy.
It’s Only Tuesday Productions is presenting “Hairspray” with two different casts on different nights.
The blue cast, which opens the run of the show tonight, features Michelle Piccirillo-Hargreaves, who also serves as the show’s choreographer, and Jacob Robison as characters Tracy and Link. Rebecca Fassbender and Amy Bullock play Penny and Amber.
“(The show) is full of energy,” said Amy Bullock. “It just makes you smile.”
In the red cast, Erin Berry and Mathew Clark play Tracy and Link, while Sarah Bayard and Shaynna Carr play Penny and Amber.
Appearing in both casts are Kiante Nitaljones as Seaweed, Ivy-Marie Simpson as Inez, Seaweed’s sister, Ayeasha Anglin as Motormouth Maybelle, mother of Seaweed and Inez, Elana Monaco as Velma Von Tussle, Shea Dittman as Corny Collins, David Negaard as Wilbur Turnblad and Wayne Berry as Edna Turnblad.
The blue cast of Hairspray performs April 21-23, May 5 and 13-14. The red cast performance dates are April 28-30, May 6-7 and 12. The show starts at 7 p.m.
The Arbor Court Community Theater is located at 858 W. Jackman St. in Lancaster. Tickets for Hairspray are $15, and can be purchased at the box office one hour prior to show time, by
telephone at 661-726-9355 and by email at iot.tickets@yahoo.com.
“The music is incredible, it’s touching, it’s explosive, it’s colorful, it’s like an extravaganza,” Jacob Robison said. “It’s definitely worth seeing.”
- Photo and story by Kevin Michael Kramer
