hairspray tour los angeles

• Upcoming City: CERRITOS, CA

“If life were everything it should be, it would be more like HAIRSPRAY

IT’S IRRESISTIBLE!”

THE NEW YORK TIMES

Homepage Video

LAexcites.com

Review: ‘hairspray’ glows with a spunky exuberance at the dolby theatre.

The latest national tour of Hairspray , now playing at the Dolby Theatre through May 21st, is everything one can expect and more from a musical based on the 1960s, right down to its infectious style and civil rights-related substance. It’s visually beautiful, bold, and makes a significant social statement that gleefully co-exists with all the bright-colored costumes and big hair. Most musicals tout either a meaningful message or a lavish presentation, but this Hairspray , like many of its previous stage iterations and the 1988 and 2007 films, has both.

Any production starts with the story, which in this case is cogently written by Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan. It is simultaneously surreal yet steadied by its commentary on racial integration, surrounded by strong motivations, appropriate levity, and larger-than-life characters that leave a forceful impression.

The protagonist is the cheery Tracy Turnblad, a plump girl with tall hair, towering dreams, and a progressive mindset. She and her bestie Penny Pingleton want to audition and join The Corny Collins Show , a hip TV program with primarily Caucasian teenage dancers and contemporary music, led by the eponymous host. However, Penny’s intolerant mom Prudy is simply opposed to this idea while Tracy’s full-bodied mom Edna — unlike her zany and more hopeful dad Wilbur — fears that Tracy might be unfairly bullied if she tries. When Tracy takes her once-in-a-lifetime chance, and grows her status, she meets one of the cast members, Link Larkin, and comes head-to-head with some of the show’s outright racism and opposition to diversity, spearheaded by bigoted producer Velma Von Tussle and her self-centered daughter Amber. More importantly, Tracy attempts to use her newfound station as a voice for change as she befriends several Black characters, including the audacious Motormouth Maybelle (owner of a local record shop and host of her own monthly segment, “Negro Day,” on Collins’ show) and her spirited son Seaweed and daughter Little Inez, among others.

Marc Shaiman’s music (with lyrical help by Scott Wittman) has never sounded so energizing, each drum beat and hook more galvanizing than the next — a credit to Music Supervisor Keith Thompson, Musical Coordinator John Mezzio, Sound Designer Shannon Slaton, Conductor Julius LaFlamme, and Orchestrator Harold Wheeler. Director Matt Lenz has done Jack O’Brien’s original direction justice just as Robbie Roby has captured Jerry Mitchell’s effervescent original choreography, which, in tandem with Paul Miller’s lighting, allows for the gorgeous spotlighting of brief standstill tableaus. Mitchell, incidentally, expressed his satisfaction with the manifestation of his vision at the conclusion of opening night when he took the stage after the final bows.

Hairspray , rife with not just musical theatre’s best pop music, but pastels and a preponderance of pretty colors, is a visual feast. In this production, David Rockwell’s scenic design, replete with a digital screen (the tremendously groovy video design is by Patrick W. Lord) that appropriately only supplements well-crafted moveable prop pieces, including the city of Baltimore and the jail bars during “The Big Dollhouse,” echoes the psychedelic bubbliness and the fashion-fueled confidence of the 1960s. This is further solidified by William Ivey Long’s stunning costumes and Paul Huntley and Bernie Ardia’s wigs and hair, which are undoubtedly deserving of an Ultra Clutch Hairspray sponsorship.

The abundant cast is led by Niki Metcalf who makes for a quintessential Tracy, derided by the musical’s antagonists as a “chubby communist,” whose sunny timbre propels the narrative forward. Metcalf passionately gets across Tracy’s motivation to end segregation on The Corny Collins Show and additionally demonstrates a terrific comic timing as she gawks over Nick Cortazzo’s Link during “I Can Hear the Bells.” Cortazzo, too, has a certain panache as the budding and Elvis-like TV star who indicates promise as a redeemable character despite a reticence to rock the boat and potentially undermine his career.

Tracy’s mom Edna, who suffers from bouts of low self-esteem before her veritable breakout party, is portrayed by Andrew Levitt (renowned as drag queen Nina West) who receives an immediate ovation in his very first scene. Levitt is excellent at not only using a palette of pitches and inflections for comedic effect, but deserves plaudits for patiently steering Edna’s transformation, which blossoms during “Welcome to the ‘60s” — a number that is also notable for the electrifying vocal stylings of Sydney Archibald, Melanie Puente Ervin, and Jade Turner who dazzle in red dresses as The Dynamites.

Levitt’s onstage husband, Wilbur, is played by Ralph Prentice Daniel who emotes a terrific joviality and optimism as the jokester/inventor. The comparatively diminutive Wilbur loves his wife no matter what, a sentiment which is adorably conveyed in Act II’s feel-good and physical humor-filled “(You’re) Timeless to Me.” At one point, as they’re harmonizing, Daniel’s Wilbur goes high and Levitt’s Edna goes low — an unexpected and funny contrast.

The opposition whom the featured characters bravely rail against can be summed up by one Velma, inhabited superbly with sinewy nefariousness by Addison Garner. Velma is bereft of morals and sneers at those who look differently than her; what’s worse is that she’s a showy diva to boot which is perfectly realized in “(The Legend of) Miss Baltimore Crabs,” taken to an entirely new level with impressive baton twirling. In comparison, while Ryahn Evers’ Amber isn’t as evil, she is contently ignorant, oblivious to any problems, and demands Link for herself along with any attention she could seize. Evers cranks up her persona’s annoying factor to eleven so we can’t help but root for her downfall.

Imbuing Hairspray with the most soul is Sandie Lee’s Motormouth Maybelle who has the audience affirming memorable lines like “the bigger the girth, the more you’re worth.” To say that Lee is simply confident in the role would be an understatement; she absolutely commands with her platinum hair as a lightning rod that ignites the fuse of the events that overcome the central conflict. Lee, moreover, earns the heartiest applause when she wins over the crowd with her superbly attuned vocal dynamics in the poignantly hair-raising “I Know Where I’ve Been.” Similarly, Maybelle’s children, Little Inez and Seaweed, are depicted with flair by Joi D. McCoy and Charlie Bryant III, the latter of whom makes his mark with tireless dancing and splits — in mid-air and on the floor — which scintillate the stage in “Run and Tell That.”

As the plaid-clad Penny, Emery Henderson shares a vibrant chemistry with Bryant and is the lovably awkward girl that fans of Hairspray will readily recognize. The same can be said for Emmanuelle Zeesman’s Prudy who is familiarly domineering and a little more than old-fashioned about “race music.” Zeesman, who loses herself in two other characters — the loopy Gym Teacher who can’t stand up straight and the sensual Prison Matron with tap-dancing prowess — is as versatile as any actor there is. Proving his own aptitude for adaptability is Greg Kalafatas whose politically expedient Harriman F. Spritzer, flamboyant Mr. Pinky, drawling Guard, and authoritative high school Principal are all discrete from one another.

The smooth-voiced Billy Dawson convinces as TV-pro Corny Collins, a suave emcee with a conscience and whose animated Council Members charm the stage with their choreographic finesse. Craig First (Brad), Kelly Barberito (Tammy), Tommy Betz (Fender), Carly Haig (Brenda), Mickey White (Sketch), Clint Maddox Thompson (I.Q.), Annie Gagen (Lou Ann) and Helene Britany (Shelley) are underrated for being the “nicest” ensemble one could ask for as they continuously pivot from complex dance routines to even more involved harmonies.

Overall, audience members who experience Hairspray will note an excitement in the air that crescendos at just the right moments as they find themselves living vicariously through a steadfast resistance helmed by its puckish and courageous characters. Not to mention, given how likeable these characters are — in part because they inspire and make us laugh in equal amounts — it feels as if a gravitational force pulls our bodies forward as our hands naturally rise and clap along; this is none more pertinent than during the climactic and catchy “You Can’t Stop the Beat.” Some things, be it an appeal to racial equality, or the acknowledgement that this show is sensational, just can’t be denied.

For more information on Hairspray at the Dolby Theatre, and to purchase tickets, please visit: broadwayinhollywood.com

Recommended for you

Most Popular

Review: la mirada theatre’s ‘jersey boys’ is a show-stopping ode to frankie valli and the four seasons, review: ‘funny girl’ revival exceeds immense hype at the ahmanson.

Review: ‘Wild Party’ Is a Lively Romp in Celebration of Jaxx Theatricals’ Re-Opening

Review: Pasadena Playhouse’s ‘One of the Good Ones’ Is a Culturally Relevant Comedy

Review: ‘Superman’ in Concert Evokes Potent Feelings at the Walt Disney Concert Hall

Review: the candlelight pavilion rejoicefully returns with ‘beauty and the beast’.

Burger King Docks Onto Santa Monica Pier for a Zesty ‘Million Dollar Whopper World’ Pop-Up

Review: Ronald Reagan Presidential Library Continues Classy Valentine’s Day Tradition

Review: Musical Theatre West’s ’42nd Street’ Scintillates With Toe-Tapping Flair

Review: Matthew Bourne’s Uniquely Reimagined ‘Romeo and Juliet’ Is Ravishing

Review: ‘The Manor’ Certifies Why It’s a Murderous Mainstay in Beverly Hills

Review: ‘MJ’ Avidly Revisits the King of Pop’s Thrilling & Tumultuous Heyday

Review: Theatre 40’s ‘A Very Die Hard Christmas’ Will Have You Die Laughing

Review: The Troubies Merge ‘White Christmas’ & the Beatles In a Hilarious Mash-Up

Review: AEW ‘Full Gear’ Is a Story-Driven Success at the Kia Forum

Queen + Adam Lambert Awe BMO Stadium With Euphoric Mix of Nostalgia + New

Review: The Dinner Detective Delights in Thousand Oaks, CA

Party Like It’s ‘1989’: See Taylor Swift’s ‘Eras Tour’ film at the Paramount Drive-In

Review: 5-Star Theatricals’ ‘Oliver!’ Triumphs on the Merits of Its Outstanding Cast

Review: Taylor Swift Arrives in ‘Style’ With ‘august’ Debut at SoFi Stadium

Review: 5-Star Theatricals’ ‘Cinderella’ Glitteringly Highlights the Power of Agency

Review: ‘Beetlejuice’ Is a Spine-Tinglingly Funny Riot of a Musical

Review: Musical Theatre West’s ‘The Wizard of Oz’ Bedazzles With Nostalgic Magic

Preview: Katy Geraghty & Cast of ‘Into the Woods’ at the Ahmanson Theatre

Review: L.A. Premiere of ‘Tina’ Devotedly Honors the Late ‘Queen of Rock & Roll’

Review: ‘Joseph’ Puts a Brilliant Bow on La Mirada Theatre’s 2022-23 Season

Pasadena Playhouse’s ‘Sunday in the Park with George’ Is a Rhapsodic Tip of the Hat to Sondheim’s Masterwork

Review: ‘The Lion King’ Roars with Remarkable Results at the Pantages

Review: ‘Grease’ Jubilantly Jives at La Mirada Theatre

Review: ‘Mean Girls,’ the Musical, Is Just as Indelible as Its Film Counterpart

Review: ‘Romeo and Juliet’ Falls Under Spell of Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo’s Music in ‘Invincible’ at the Wallis

Review: The Blackpink Phenomenon Intensifies at Banc of CA Stadium

Review: ‘2:22 — A Ghost Story’ Makes Extraordinarily Thrilling U.S. Premiere at the Ahmanson Theatre

Review: ‘Tootsie’ Proves Its Worth as a Musical

Review: La Mirada Theatre’s ‘The Sound of Music’ Resonates 63 years Later

Ashley x Pandora Present Crowd-Pleasing Installation & John Legend Set

Film & TV Star, Gedde Watanabe, Talks Being in Sondheim’s ‘Assassins’ & More

Review: 5-Star Theatricals’ ‘Something Rotten!’ is Fresh & Exciting

3rd Annual Malibu Guitar Festival Recognizes Good Causes & Remembers Chris Cornell

Modernized ‘Jungle Book’ Production Comes to Pasadena Playhouse on July 17th

Yanni Returning to SoCal, Plus Exclusive Interview

Concert Review: Yanni Is Even Better Now Than He Was 25 Years Ago at the Acropolis

Broadway’s Susan Egan Resplendently Reprises Belle in “Beauty and the Beast”

“Michael Jackson ONE” at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas is a Cirque du Soleil Masterpiece

Grand Canyon Destinations’ West Rim Trip is Divine

“The Last Breakfast Club” Gives Classic Film Lots of New Shine

5-Star Theatricals’ “Shrek The Musical” Is Fairytale Magic

“A View from the Bridge” Rivets the Senses

Hairspray Coming to Segerstrom and Dolby Theaters

HAIRSPRAY, Broadway’s Tony Award®-winning musical comedy phenomenon is coming to Los Angeles. This new North American tour, helmed by original director Jack O’Brien and original choreographer Jerry Mitchell, will play for five weeks in Southern California — Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa from April 18 – April 30, 2023 followed by Dolby Theatre presented by Broadway in Hollywood in Los Angeles May 2 – 21, 2023. Tickets are on sale now for the Dolby Theatre and available at www.BroadwayinHollywood.com, www.Ticketmaster.com, by phone at (800) 982-2787 or in person at The Dolby Theatre Box Office. Tickets for Segerstrom Center for the Arts are available at www.scfta.org and by phone at 1-714-556-2787.

The cast will be led by Andrew Levitt aka Nina West (from “RuPaul’s Drag Race”) as Edna Turnblad and Niki Metcalf as Tracy Turnblad. Joining them are Charlie Bryant III as Seaweed J. Stubbs, Nick Cortazzo as Link Larkin, Ralph Prentice Daniel as Wilbur Turnblad, Billy Dawson as Corny Collins, Ryahn Evers as Amber Von Tussle, Addison Garner as Velma Von Tussle, Emery Henderson as Penny Pingleton and Joi D. McCoy as Little Inez.

The ensemble consists of Sydney Archibald, Kelly Barberito, Tommy Betz, Helene Britany, Caroline Eiseman, Melanie Puente Ervin, Craig First, Alex Fullerton, Annie Gagen, Carly Haig, Lauren Johnson, Sabrina Joseph, Greg Kalafatas, Kyle Kavully, Matthew J. Kelly, McLaine Meachem, Faith Northcutt, Nicholas Dion Reese, Sage, Micah Sauvageau, Clint Maddox Thompson, Jade Turner, Mickey White and Emmanuelle Zeesman. Casting for the role of Motormouth Maybelle will be announced at a later date.

“It’s a brand-new world we find ourselves in today, and HAIRSPRAY is even more relevant than twenty years ago when it first burst onto the scene. With the renewed, refreshed energy of the unforgettable “Nina West” as Edna and a whole new generation of wildly talented kids across the board, we cannot wait to raise the various roofs once more with dance, joy, music, and that glorious, famous, energy-packed score!” shared Director Jack O’Brien.

Choreographer Jerry Mitchell added, “HAIRSPRAY has always been about all of us dancing together! I am thrilled to welcome this NEW company of amazing #FULLOUT talents to lead the way as we dance across America with a message of inclusion and hope because ‘You really Can’t Stop the Beat!’”

HAIRSPRAY is the story of 16-year-old Tracy Turnblad in 1960s Baltimore as she sets out to dance her way onto TV’s most popular show. Can a girl with big dreams (and even bigger hair) change the world? Featuring the beloved score of hit songs including “Welcome to the ’60s,” “Good Morning Baltimore,” and “You Can’t Stop the Beat,” HAIRSPRAY is “fresh, winning, and deliriously tuneful!” (The New York Times).

This new touring production reunites Broadway’s award-winning creative team, led by Director Jack O’Brien and Choreographer Jerry Mitchell, to bring HAIRSPRAY to a new generation of theater audiences. HAIRSPRAY is based on the New Line Cinema film written and directed by John Waters, who served as a creative consultant on the musical comedy. It features a book by Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan. HAIRSPRAY features an original score by Academy Award-nominated Marc Shaiman and lyrics by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman. The tour is produced by NETworks Presentations.

Additional creative team for HAIRSPRAY includes Tour Director Matt Lenz, Tour Choreographer Robbie Roby, Set Designer David Rockwell, Lighting Designer Kenneth Posner, Tour Lighting Designer Paul Miller, Costume Designer William Ivey Long, Hair and Wig Designer Paul Huntley, Richard Mawbey and Bernie Ardia, Sound Designer Shannon Slaton, Music Supervisor Keith Thompson, and Casting by Stewart/Whitley.

HAIRSPRAY premiered at Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theater in June 2002. The show was a smash hit when it transferred to Broadway, winning eight 2003 Tony Awards including Best Musical, and became the longest-running musical to play the Neil Simon Theater, running 2,642 performances from July 18, 2002, until January 4, 2009. It is the 22nd longest running show in Broadway history.

Website: www.hairspraytour.com Facebook: @HairsprayOnTour Instagram: @HairsprayOnTour Twitter: @HairsprayOnTour TikTok: @HairsprayOnTour Hashtags: #HairsprayOnTour #HairsprayMusical

COSTA MESA LISTINGS INFORMATION

Dates: April 18-30, 2023

Theatre: Segerstrom Center for the Arts 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, CA, 92626

Performance Schedule: Tuesday – Friday at 7:30pm Saturday at 2pm & 7:30pm Sunday at 1pm & 6:30pm

Tickets: Online: www.SCFTA.org Phone:  1-714-556-2787

LOS ANGELES LISTING INFORMATION

Dates: May 2- 21, 2023

Theatre: Dolby Theatre 6801 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028

Performance Schedule: Tuesday – Friday at 8pm Saturday at 2pm & 8pm Sunday at 1pm & 6:30pm

Tickets: Online: BroadwayInHollywood.com orTicketmaster.com Phone: 1-800-982-2787 In Person: Dolby Theatre Box Office (Visit website for hours)

Press Contact: Benny Aguayo | Broadway in Hollywood [email protected] ∙ 323-468-1768

Share this:

Sharing is caring!

• Pinterest 3

1 thought on “Hairspray Coming to Segerstrom and Dolby Theaters”

It’s a great news. I like watching this hairspray so much.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Join our mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from our team.

You have Successfully Subscribed!

• Skip to content
• Accessibility
• Buy Tickets
• All Event Types
• Special Events

Stage and Cinema

Arts and Entertainment Reviews

Theater Review: HAIRSPRAY (National Tour)

by William C. on April 17, 2023

in Theater-Regional , Tours

THIS HEAVYWEIGHT TAKES THE PRIZE

Can you ask for a more perfect pairing than a drag queen and the high camp of musical theater? In this national tour production of Hairspray , Tracy Turnblad and friends turn up the heat with their dance movies on the stage of Segerstrom Hall. The band is tight, the movements are swell, and the jokes are non-stop. And, if you are one of those theater snobs like yours truly that care about craft and storytelling, it is there too. This is a show that takes wrapping the medicine with a shit-ton of sugar seriously.

On the surface, this is a good ”ugly duckling” story mixed in with a little Cinderella. Literally, Tracy ( Nicki Metcalf ), our heroine, dances with rats at her feet in the opening number “Good Morning Baltimore.” She is a big girl with a big personality and an even bigger dream. Her BFF Penny Pingleton ( Emery Henderson ) is always at her side to play along with her fantasies, as and break out into spontaneous bursts of song and dance.

Cinderella had her evil stepmother and sisters, Tracy has the mother-daughter local television royalty, Amber and Velma Von Tussle ( Ryahn Evers and Addison Garner ). They are the skinny blonde queen bees of their kingdom, and are both fat-phobic and racist. Link, the prince charming of our story, played by a very easy on the eyes Nick Cortazzo , is a local teenage celebrity on the Corny Collins show. So, when a free-wheeling teenager takes an unexpected maternity leave from the show, the dream spot opens for all the teenage girls of Baltimore to try out. Tracy, our heroine, is hellbent on attending the audition to realize her dream to be on TV.

A more serious subplot is beneath Tracy’s arc. The racial tensions of 1950s America played out to the hilt in Baltimore. The progressive TV host Corny Collins ( Billy Dawson ) aims to integrate black talent into his show. And, you betcha, this goal is met with fierce protest and anger from the TV producers and the Ultra-Clutch Hairspray sponsor which just created a brand marketed to African Americans. The irony is not subtle. The entertainment industry is portrayed as only too happy to steal profit, dance moves, and music from the black community and concurrently uphold Jim-Crow era racist segregation. Perhaps perfectly captured by Miss Baltimore Crab, Velma Von Tussle, in one of her not-so-subtle rebuttals against Corny, ”We must guide our kids in the White direction.”

I can not love this cast enough. Boy, they all can sing! Metcalf’s voice is rich, powerful, and jovial. Her dance moves are filled with spunk. Cortazzo’s Link is sexy and gives a little Freddie Mercury vibe. Andrew Levitt as Nina West is a triumph in the role of Tracy’s mom Edna Turnblad. This queen is more than just funny. She carries each scene with grace, gravitas, and, yes, emotion. Sandie Lee’s powerhouse vocals as Black activist Motormouth Maybelle in “I Know Where I’ve Been” is sensationally emotional.

The evening’s most stunning, shining jewels are the Dynamite ladies: Jade Turner, Melanie Puente Ervin, and Sydney Archbald . The hall was lit with electric energy when they broke into their individual solos. Their voices were so bright and sonorous.

Shannon Slaton’s sound design is superb. The ensemble mixing is absolutely perfect. There were some hiccups made by the sound-op, but the balance of the ensemble is tuned as close to perfection as live theater gets. As the band was also not mixed too loudly, you could understand the lyrics perfectly. William Ivey Long , Paul Huntley , and Bernie Ardia’s wig and costume designs are tremendous fun. They are so campy, and they made Nina West look terrific.

I wish more musical theater were like this. It is filled with fun and talent of all shapes, sizes, and races that come together to tell the story of our country’s history. To be sure, it is not without inaccuracies because it is theater, not a scholarly textbook. However, it helps us think about the world differently. Perhaps, if we all had a little of Tracy’s can-do attitude, we might get through life together as a community.

Go watch this. Hell, take your grandmother, your racist uncle, your conspiracy theorist mother-in-law, your plants and your pets. Miracles can result from a shift in perception.

photos by Jeremy Daniel

Hairspray national tour reviewed at Segerstrom (ends April 29) tour continues: for tickets, dates and cities, visit Hairspray Tour

Share this post:

Leave a Comment

• Art and Museums
• Concerts / Events
• Theater-Boston
• Theater-Chicago
• Theater-D.C.
• Theater-International
• Theater-Las Vegas
• Theater-Los Angeles
• Theater-New York
• Theater-Palm Springs (Coachella Valley)
• Theater-Regional
• Theater-San Diego
• Theater-San Francisco / Bay Area
• Privacy Statement

Search reviews by title or key words.

Please help keep stage and cinema going, while we assert that it’s time to rethink the existence of facebook, here’s our page, casino reviews betsquare.

Los Angeles Theater

Suggestions.

• The Rolling Stones at SoFi Stadium
• Idina Menzel at The Wiltern
• Hamilton at Pantages Theater Hollywood
• Billy Joel at Intuit Dome
• Wicked at Pantages Theater Hollywood

We are an independent show guide not a venue or show. We sell primary, discount and resale tickets, all 100% guaranteed and they may be priced above or below face value.

An independent show guide not a venue or show. All tickets 100% guaranteed, some are resale, prices may be above face value.

We are an independent show guide. Resale ticket prices may be above face value.

Sorry, Hairspray has been & gone

So, we can't show you any tickets!

Why not take a look at

Dolby Theatre

Website Reviews

How was your shopping experience?

Kenya September 5, 2023

It was great

New York City

• Broadway Discount Tickets
• Off-Broadway
• Off-Off-Broadway
• All New York City

Other Cities

• Long Island
• Los Angeles
• Minneapolis/St. Paul
• Philadelphia
• San Francisco
• Washington, DC

Complimentary And Deeply Discounted Shows

Enjoy live events at insider prices. Club members can see a different show every night of the week!

Discount Ticket Alerts

Stay abreast of discount offers for great theater, on Broadway or in select cities.

By signing up you are confirming you are 16 or over. View our Privacy Policy.

Closed: May 21, 2023

Review: Touring Production of Hairspray Is a Frizzy Re-Creation of the Original

The musical is currently running at the Dolby Theatre in LA before its next stop in Atlanta.

Based on the John Waters 1987 film, the musical Hairspray follows heavy-set but dynamic Tracy Turnblad (Niki Metcalf) as she becomes a local Baltimore celebrity and social-justice activist. Hairspray captures the innocence of early 1960s American youth as the nation wakes up from the glaze of post-war prosperity, and takes a stand against racial and social injustice. Tracy, her insecure mom, Edna (Andrew Levitt a.k.a. Nina West), and jokester dad Wilbur (Ralph Prentice Daniel), become enlightened through their friendships with members of the African American community, while Tracy finds love and fame are at risk if she speaks up for the downtrodden.

But misdirection and miscasting have stopped the beat of the touring Hairspray , that is now stopping at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. Though all the elements, including the production design and re-creation of the choreography, remind audiences of the sparkling original production, tour director Matt Lenz allows his leads to squander the hilarity of their characters, so that the production may come off as a disappointment for fans.

The hysterical Broadway score by Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman includes pastiche songs of the era like “The Nicest Kids in Town,” “I Can Hear the Bells,” and “Welcome to the ’60s,” while also evoking the struggle and protest in the inspiring “I Know Where I’ve Been.” The book by Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan has stinging satirical moments, but often crosses the line to be over-the-top, like having Motormouth Maybelle (Sandie Lee) rhyme every sentence of dialogue.

The supporting players are the engine that keeps this production from imploding, particularly Lee, whose singing voice shakes the rafters; Charlie Bryant III as Seaweed, whose energetic singing and dancing stirs joy; and Emery Henderson as Penny, whose comic timing and deadpan responses land like bullets from a sniper. The ensemble features outstanding singers and dancers who shine throughout the evening.

The leads, however, require tighter direction. They are not just cartoon characters; they are over-inflated floats in the Macy’s Day Parade. None of the leads– Levitt, Prentice Daniel, Metcalf, Nick Cortazzo as Link, Ryahn Evers as Amber, nor Addison Garner as Velma – evoke any believable emotions, and instead grimace, guffaw, and squint their way through their dialogue.

Levitt is a talented performer. He showcased that as Miss Congeniality of RuPaul’s Drag Race, Season 11 , where his acting and comic chops led to several challenge wins. But here, he lacks the humanity that made Edna so relatable and funny. The driving force of the musical, that Tracy’s innate dancing talent wins her entrance on a television show, only works if the actor playing Tracy is an extraordinary dancer, but Metcalf never gets to display the gymnastic and fluid moves that are supposed to blow the other characters away. It could be the extremely heavy wig that sits atop her head, but she rarely moves her upper body with style.

The innovations of the original still dazzle. David Rockwell’s sets, especially the inventive opening shot that recreates an over-the-head camera angle on Tracy in bed, are delightful. William Ivey Long’s costumes are cotton candy colors of confection. The orchestra sounds buoyant and crisp. Robbie Roby recreates Jerry Mitchell’s choreography with the perfect vigor.

Hairspray has been a wild hit since its original run on Broadway in 2002. The current tour features much that delighted audiences for over 20 years, but without a lead cast to ground the audience, the parody falls flat.

Featured In This Story

Related articles.

Tagged In This Story

Latest articles.

Photos: Get a First Look at New Images of HAIRSPRAY on Tour

The tour will visit 45 cities in the 2023-24 touring season.

HAIRSPRAY, Broadway’s Tony Award®-winning musical comedy phenomenon, kicked off its third touring season last night in Ottawa, Ontario at the National Arts Centre through Sunday, November 19. This new Non-Equity, North American tour, helmed by original director Jack O’Brien and original choreographer Jerry Mitchell, will visit 45 cities in the 2023-24 touring season including premiere engagements in Calgary, AB; Charlotte, NC; Cleveland, OH; Dallas, TX; Denver, CO; Edmonton, ALB; Houston, TX; Nashville, TN; Vancouver, BC and many more. The season will also feature return engagements in Boston, MA; San Antonio, TX; and St. Louis, MO, among others. 

See new photos below!   In the first two seasons of touring, HAIRSPRAY played in 118 cities, reaching 44 states and the District of Columbia. More than 886,000 audience members have experienced the “must-see production” (Spectrum News 1 Milwaukee) that is “as buoyant as its bouffants” (Boston Globe), full of “humor, heart and unstoppable energy” (Minneapolis Star-Tribune) and quite simply, “Marvelous - and nearly miraculous” (Omaha World-Herald).   The cast is led by Greg Kalafatas as Edna Turnblad, Caroline Eiseman as Tracy Turnblad and Deidre Lang as Motormouth Maybelle. Joining them are Josiah Rogers as Seaweed J. Stubbs, Skyler Shields as Link Larkin, Ralph Prentice Daniel as Wilbur Turnblad, Andrew Scoggin as Corny Collins, Caroline Portner as Amber Von Tussle, Sarah Hayes as Velma Von Tussle, Scarlett Jacques as Penny Pingleton and Kaila Symone Crowder as Little Inez. Micah Sauvageau is Male Authority Figure, and Emmanuelle Zeesman is Female Authority Figure.   The ensemble consists of Abigail Bensman, Connor Buonaccorsi, Ashia Collins, Joshua James Crawford, Scoob Decker, Craig First, Audrey Taylor Floyd, Gavin Guthrie, Alyssa Jacqueline, Leiah Lewis, Christy Oberndorf, Kynnedi Moryaé Porter, Caroline Purdy, Kalab Quinn, Josiah Thomas Randolph, Amy Rodriguez, Scott Silagy, Cara Torchia, Lilliannie Arie Urgent, James Douglas Vinson and Gabriel Yarborough.   “It’s a brand-new world we find ourselves in today, and HAIRSPRAY is even more relevant than twenty years ago when it first burst onto the scene. With a whole new generation of wildly talented kids across the board, we cannot wait to raise the various roofs once more with dance, joy, music, and that glorious, famous, energy-packed score!” shared Director Jack O’Brien.   Choreographer Jerry Mitchell added, “HAIRSPRAY has always been about all of us dancing together! I am thrilled to welcome this NEW company of amazing #FULLOUT talents to lead the way as we dance across America with a message of inclusion and hope because ‘You really Can’t Stop the Beat!’”   HAIRSPRAY is the story of 16-year-old Tracy Turnblad in 1960s Baltimore as she sets out to dance her way onto TV’s most popular show. Can a girl with big dreams (and even bigger hair) change the world? Featuring the beloved score of hit songs including “Welcome to the ’60s,” “Good Morning Baltimore,” and “You Can’t Stop the Beat,” HAIRSPRAY is “fresh, winning, and deliriously tuneful!” (The New York Times).   HAIRSPRAY is based on the New Line Cinema film written and directed by John Waters, who served as a creative consultant on the musical comedy. It features a book by Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan. HAIRSPRAY features an original score by Academy Award-nominated Marc Shaiman and lyrics by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman.   Additional creative team for HAIRSPRAY includes Tour Director Matt Lenz, Tour Choreographer Robbie Roby, Set Designer David Rockwell, Lighting Designer Kenneth Posner, Tour Lighting Designer Paul Miller, Costume Designer William Ivey Long, Hair and Wig Designers Paul Huntley and Bernie Ardia, Sound Designer Shannon Slaton, Music Supervisor Keith Thompson and Casting by Prather Productions.   HAIRSPRAY premiered at Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theater in June 2002. The show was a smash hit when it transferred to Broadway, winning eight 2003 Tony Awards including Best Musical, and became the longest-running musical to play the Neil Simon Theater, running 2,642 performances from July 18, 2002, until January 4, 2009. It is the 22nd longest running show in Broadway history.  

Photo credit: Jeremy Daniel

Buy at the Theatre Shop T-Shirts, Mugs, Phone Cases & More

Recommended For You