Happy July! I cannot believe we are already halfway through vacation (in the US at least). As usual, a lot has changed since my last post--for starters, I started working at my local theatre company yesterday as the Assistant Costumer and I am pretty excited about that! (Advertisement moment; anyone that happens to be in or near Concord, NH this weekend, go see Cinderella Jr.! Tickets are $12 and you can see the show either Friday @ 7 PM or Saturday @ 2 PM or 7 PM.)
I will post more about my costuming later in the week, when I have actually done more with it than one day.
Anyway, this weekend I saw the Junior version of Hairspray, performed by the teen cast of the local theatre company I am working at (which, alas, I could not work on).
In a couple of weeks, a theatre company in town is hosting auditions for their teen summer camp production for Hairspray. A good portion of my friends aren't auditioning for it, and I can't decide if I like the show or not. One thing I can say is I strongly dislike the Penny recording in the Original Broadway soundtrack—it's too "wimpy" for me, and since it's a role I've considered being if I ever audition for it, I'm taking this to heart.
I think what I like the most about the dance-heavy show is its theme about equality, which I am a strong believer in. Plus, Velma Von Tussle is oddly one of my favorite musical theatre villains. I got respect for her ambition , even though her way of thinking is a bit racist and elitist. (Michelle Pfeiffer was great too.)
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Day Twelve: Hairspray
(Sorry I'm a day late! I fell asleep yesterday so there will be two today!)
Yesterday's post was a musical that I could spend all day listening to, which is Hairspray. I love it, I find it so catchy, and Nikki Blonsky is the perfect Tracy for me.
So the show also takes place in the '60s. Tracy Turnblad, who is overweight and is sometimes made fun for it, and her best friend, Penny, watch this dance TV show called the Corny Collins Show and Tracy really wants to be on it. Her mother, Edna (who is always played by a guy, for some weird reason) diminishes her dreams while her dad, Wilbur, says go for it.
Tracy tries out for the show after an opening is discovered but isn't given the role. One of the executives of the TV show, Velma, and her daughter Amber, make fat jokes at her during the auditions. Tracy develops a crush on the show heartthrob, Link Larkin. After Tracy is sent to detention (for the first time), she meets Seaweed, whose mother is the host of Negro Day, a segment that happens on the Corny Collins Show once every month.
Tracy dances in a Corny Collins Show dance contest and does Seaweed's signature dance, which impressed Corny enough to pick her to fill in the spot on his show. From there, she becomes a huge success, much to Amber and Velma's racist dismays.
Tracy receives lots of calls from fans, including one named Mr. Pinky, owner of Mr. Pinky's Hefty Hideaway (which is a clothing store made for overweight people) and asked if Tracy was their spokemodel, to which she agrees. Tracy's popularity results to Amber knocking Tracy out during dodgeball out of jealousy. Link rushes to her side, as well as Seaweed and Penny, who now like each other.
After school, Seaweed invites the three of them to his mother's record shop for a party. At the shop, Tracy rallies up people to perform a march against the station the next day, as black people aren't allowed on the set besides Negro Day. When they arrived at the set, Velma calls the police and almost everyone gets arrested.
After the march, most of the women are in the women's penitentiary. Velma manages to get the governor to pardon both her and Amber. Wilbur bails everyone else out, except for Tracy, who is still in jail due to Velma's dirty tricks. Wilbur and Edna lament about how Tracy's in jail, then the two of them realize how much they love the other and how they could never part.
Link breaks into the jail and busts out Tracy. Penny is grounded by her mother for "going to jail without [her] permission," which Seaweed bails her out of her room. Both couples declare their love for one another. The couples seek refuge at the record shop. Despite Tracy's efforts, the Corny Collins Show is still segregated. They plan a way for the show to be integrated.
It's the day of Miss Teenage Hairspray Competition. Amber shows off her dance moves in an effort to win votes. Just as the results are about to be announced, Tracy (whose hair is straightened to represent her not following the man) takes over the stage with Penny, Seaweed, Edna, Wilbur, Inez (Seaweed's sister who wasn't allowed to be on the show) and Motormouth Maybelle (Seaweed and Inez's mother). Tracy is declared the winner of the competition, and Corny Collins announces that the show is officially integrated.
Mr. Spritzer, the head executive of the station, announces the governor has pardoned Tracy and Link is offered a recording contract. Motormouth Maybelle is declared the vice president of Ultra Glow--- beauty products for women of color. Penny's mother accepts Penny for who is she is. The entire cast rejoice and Tracy and Link share a kiss.
One of my personal favorites, "I Can Hear The Bells" (I'll use Nikki Blonksy for this!)
