‘Hairspray’ dances onto the Ziegfeld stage
Although “Hairspray,” a musical based on the 1988 film of the same name, is known for sparking conversations about 1960s American societal injustices such as race, the show has a message for our day.
“It’s actually a very timely show, even though it’s set in 1962,” said Michael Nielsen, director of the Ziegfeld Theater’s upcoming production of the musical. “There are lots of parallels, like the marriage equality aspect, and what’s going on in Baltimore.”
The timeliness of the show makes Nielsen wonder why we are still needing to tell the show’s story, he said.
Emily Woods, of Pleasant View, who plays Tracy Turnblad, said she thinks it’s because it reflects how history repeats itself.
“I think it’s important just because of how times are changing right now,” she said. “And we are getting more equal opportunity, and this was during a time when the same thing was happening.”
The show centers around social outcast Tracy, a plus-sized white teenager, and her desire to love everyone. Tracy’s dream comes true when she is chosen to dance on the popular “Corny Collins Show.” She then sets out to integrate the show, since she doesn’t understand why blacks can’t dance with whites.
“I just think it is such a beautiful story about breaking stereotypes and self-confidence and self-love and accepting people as they are,” Woods said.
Tracy has always been Woods’ dream role, she said.
“She has always meant a lot to me, I see a lot of myself in Tracy,” Woods said.
Woods especially loves how Tracy wasn’t afraid to audition for the “Corny Collins Show.” Woods herself was nervous to audition for Tracy, so she decided to use the role she was auditioning for to calm her nerves.
“So when I wanted to audition I thought, ‘I can’t be scared, I have to be like Tracy and just have fun,’ ” Woods said.
Nielsen said his top priority is to tell the story and why the characters feel the way they do — and to keep the audience entertained.
It’s a fun show, Nielsen said, but a person can see it and walk away from it and not learn anything if the message isn’t clear enough.
“I want to get the message across that everyone needs to be loved,” he said.
To get that message across clearly, Nielsen has cast a male, Andrew Cole, in the role of Tracy’s mother, Edna, as per tradition. But he has also cast a male as Motormouth Maybelle, the matron of the African-American community. Nielsen said the man chosen, Dee Tua’one, was made for the role.
“The tradition is that Edna is played by a man, but now we can show that it doesn’t matter and everyone deserves love,” Nielsen said.
Motormouth’s gang, with which Tracy becomes involved, is supposed to be all black, but because of logistics, Nielsen said, they turned it into a gang of outcasts, which includes a gay white boy.
“We’re trying to incorporate all different kinds of people that aren’t standard,” he said.
“The story is what I really love about this show,” he said. “It really is about everyone loving everyone.”
“Hairspray” opens Aug. 14 at the Ziegfeld Theater, 3934 S. Washington Blvd. in Ogden, and runs through Sept. 5, with regular performances at 7:30 p.m. every Friday and Saturday, a 2 p.m. matinee on Aug. 29 and Sept. 5, with additional evening performances on Aug. 24, 27, 31 and Sept. 3. Tickets are $9-$19 if purchased online at www.theziegfeldtheater.com, and $1 more if purchased at the door.
Contact reporter Sonja Carlson at 801-625-4229 or scarlson@standard.net. Follow her on Twitter @sonjacSE and like her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SonjaCarlsonSE.
- PREVIEW
- WHAT: ‘Hairspray'
- WHEN: Various times and dates, Aug. 14-Sept. 5
- WHERE: The Ziegfeld Theater, 3934 S. Washington Blvd., Ogden
- TICKETS: $9-$19, www.theziegfeldtheater.com; $1 more at the door