Beehives all the Rage for Sydney Community Premiere of Hairspray

Rockdale Musical Society and Canterbury Theatre Guild have joined forces to bring the ‘60s to Canterbury Hurlstone Park RSL Club with Hairspray from May 25.

It’s time to tease your hair and put on your glad-rags when Hairspray returns for Sydney’s first ever community production of the show.

Originally a cult-classic John Waters film, Hairspray was adapted as a Broadway musical in 2002, winning eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and running for 2,642 performances. The 2007 movie musical remake, starring John Travolta and Michelle Pfeiffer, became one of the top five highest-grossing movie musicals of all time.

Set in 1960s Baltimore USA, Hairspray is the story of Tracy Turnblad, an overweight but spunky and talented teenage girl who just won’t take no for an answer. Tracy must overcome the prejudices of the day in order to dance on The Corny Collins TV Show. Along the way she fights for the end of segregation and, of course, wins the love of her life, Link Larkin. Tracey’s teenage desire to dance and to audition for the Corny Collins Show, sets in motion a series of events, draws in corrupt politicians, corporate greed, arrests, protests and conflict. And above all… a happy ending!

Hairspray is dripping with joyful ‘60s nostalgia. But it is also set – deliberately – at a point of change. The scene in Baltimore in June 1962 – a time of transformation, of evolution, even revolution, through which the ‘50s melt into the ‘60s, with the civil rights struggle as the crucible.

Stage Whispers was very interested in how the companies would handle the musical’s implicit ethnicity in their casting. Rockdale Musical Society’s Vice-President Osman Kabbara told us:

“When the creators of Hairspray licensed the show out to community theatres they immediately tackled this very question and issued a note to be included in the program. In essence, they have forbidden any use of the colouring of anyone's face (even if done respectfully and subtly) for it is still, at the end of the day, a form of blackface, which is a chapter in the story of race in America that the show is obviously against.

“The creators were also adamant that they did not want to deny an actor the chance to play a role due to the colour of his or her skin, as they see this as a form of racism in itself.

“Rockdale Musical Society and Canterbury Theatre Guild embraced this philosophy and would see were the cards fell in relation to auditions, and for this production we have been lucky enough to encompass a range of ethnicities in specific roles.

“The main idea is that you are not witnessing a historical piece or a documentary, but instead enjoying the multi fascist of staging, lighting, direction, dancing, costumes, and sheer dedication of cast crew and societies.”

And how has the collaboration between the two companies worked?

“Rockdale Musical Society and Canterbury theatre Guild were both, at separate times, had Walter Van Poppel as President ,” said Kabbara. “Migrating over to Rockdale Musical Society, Walter continued to have the love and support of both societies and developed an ongoing friendship between sister societies. President and Vice President (Cameron Lewis and Sean Marden) were there to help in the last minute relocation of Rockdale Musical Society’s Avenue Q, after the much-publicised immediate closure of Rockdale Town Hall. Both committees share resources, sets and costumes on a regular basis.

“On a production level, both societies decided on a director who had worked for both societies, and discussed and utilized what their best assets are.

“Both societies will continue to foster their relationship and look forward to not only bringing Hairspray to the stage, but future productions.”

Directed by Chris Scarpelino, with choreography Craig Nhobbs and musical direction by Andy Peterson, Hairspray features Sally Redman as Tracy Turnblad, Ben James as Corny Collins, Chae Rogan as Edna, Jessica Bennett-Griffiths as Penny Pingleton, Michele Lansdown as Velma Von Tussle, Zoe Jessie-Rose McDonald as Amber Von Tussle, Tim Watson as Link Larkin, Nelson Padilla as Seaweed J Stubbs, Stephanie Pennas as Little Inez, Leslea Clements as Motormouth Maybelle, Clinton Griffiths as Wilbur Turnblad, Margaret Short as Prudy Pingleton , James Worner as Mr Pinky and Pat Ulloa as Harriman F Spritzer, with Diane Alde as Judine, Sicilia Makisi as Kamilah and Zana Cohen as Shayna (‘the Dynamites’) plus ‘council members’ Kaylie Yan, Michael Hemming, Liz Testa, John Sainsbury, Matilda Bromley, Jasper Newstead, Melissa-Lee O'Brien, Cameron Forwood, Alexandra Lewtas, Chris Geoghan and an ensemble featuring Daniel Forwood, Leigh Scott, Dean Irwin Jordan Warren, Karen Jackaman, Emma Hughes, Jade Schofield, Harriet Bromley, Fiona Kelly, John Edge, Amy Nelson, Isobel Wilson, Jess-Yvette Hansby, Sophie Spanos , David Joseph, Joanne Georgiadis, Helena Kyriacou, Emma Hatton, Anusha Thomas, Gabriella Cozzupoli and Belinda O'Brien.

Hairspray opens on May 25^th and runs for 2 weeks.

For more information visit

www.rockdalemusicalsociety.com

www.canterburytheatreguild.com

HAIRSPRAY

By Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman,

Book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan

PERFORMANCES

Canterbury Hurlstone Park RSL

20-26 Canterbury Rd, Hurlstone Park

Fri 25 May 8.30pm

Sat 26 May 12noon and 8.30pm