Review: Run And Tell This - 'Hairspray' Isn't A Drag, It's A Hit
Posted
David Slone-dslone@timesuniononline.com
Having seen both movie versions of “Hairspray”, I had high expectations of the musical going into Wagon Wheel’s production Wednesday night. Not only did the company meet my expectations, they blew those expectations out of the water. You might want to buy your tickets for a show now because once word of mouth gets out of how fun this show is, shows will sell out. Every performer in this production, even those with smaller parts, contributes so much to the overall value of the show. In 1962 Baltimore, Tracy Turnblad (Lauren Turner) is a big girl whose hair is almost as big as her giant heart. She loves to dance, so she finds a way to land on “The Corny Collins Show” on television. She challenges conventional wisdom of the day by championing integration and diversity. Turner was born to play Tracy. She not only can sing well, but she radiates positive energy on the stage. No matter what negativity she encounters, Tracy plays it off, and Turner makes you believe that Tracy truly is that kind of person. The role of Tracy’s mother, Edna Turnblad, is played amazingly by Robert Joseph Miller. Yes, it’s a man in drag, but Miller steals every scene he’s in so watching him is anything but a drag. Miller gets some of the best lines, and watching him dance in the number “The Big Dollhouse” is worth the price of a ticket alone. Edna is a big, big woman. She goes around the house wearing frocks all the time, until her daughter helps usher her into the outside world and the 1960s. I remember seeing Miller in several roles before on the Wagon Wheel stage, but playing Edna is probably his best. His performance far exceeds that of Harvey Fierstein and John Travolta, two actors who’ve played the role. Miller just nails it. Edna is married to Wilbur Turnblad, played by local favorite Mike Yocum. Wilbur owns a gag/joke shop, isn’t an extremely serious man but has a big heart like his daughter. As Wilbur, Yocum has probably found his best comedic role. When Wilbur (Yocum) and Edna (Miller) sing “You’re Timeless to Me” in Act II, it’s very convincing, fun and heartwarming. Reality disappears and all you see is two very different people who truly love one another. What’s a good show without some villains who are fun to dislike? Velma Von Tussle (Lauren Roesner) is the producer of the “Corny Collins Show”. She’s also a white woman afraid of anyone who isn’t, and a total witch. There’s nothing about her that you’ll like. Of course, Roesner not only does a masterful job of playing her, but she can sing just as well as anyone else on the stage. Like mother, like daughter. In this case, Velma’s daughter, Amber (Mary Little) is just as manipulative, racist and self-involved as Mommy Dearest. She is everything opposite of Tracy. Little plays the role big. As the show starts out, Amber’s man is Link Larkin (Stephen Anthony). He sings and dances and just wants a record deal. He’s also the man that makes Tracy’s bells ring. Anthony gives Zac Efron a run for his money in the role. In Act I, Link sings “It Takes Two” by himself before Tracy joins in unexpectedly. The song is an opportunity for Anthony to show how strong his vocal muscles are. With his musical ability, good looks and charm, Anthony makes the role all his. Corny Collins is played by David Schlumpf. Collins wants integration on his dance show, but can’t convince Velma or the show’s sponsor to go along with that until he’s inspired by Tracy. Schlumpf is perfectly cast as Corny. He’s got the same showmanship in the role as James Marsden did in the 2007 movie version. He delivers the songs “The Nicest Kids in Town” and “(It’s) Hairspray” with his tongue fully planted in his cheek. Like everyone else in this musical, Schlumpf was perfectly cast as Corny. Speaking of perfect casting, Katherine Thomas as Motormouth Maybelle is beyond anything I could have hoped for. Motormouth Maybelle is the host of the “Corny Collins Show” once a month for Negro Day. She’s a strong black woman, with great blonde hair. It’s when Thomas sings “I Know Where I’ve Been” in Act II, and really belts it out, that she more than earns the audience’s adoration. If Thomas and Jennifer Hudson were both vying for the same role, the casting director would have one heck of a tough decision to make. I would love to see Thomas in more shows, singing as much as possible. She’s incredible. Motormouth’s son is Seaweed J. Stubbs (Kevin J. Watson II). Seaweed helps get Tracy on the “Corny Collins Show” and ends up in love with Tracy’s best friend Penny Pingleton (Cassie Levine). Watson and Levine are terrific in their roles. Levine gives Penny the right amount of nerdiness, while Watson plays it smooth without too much ego. The song “Run and Tell That” also offers Watson the chance to show off his vocals. Among the different roles she plays, Sophie Grimm plays Penny’s mother, Prudy Pingleton. But in each of her supporting roles, Grimm gets some of the most hilarious moments of the show and delivers them like gold. Whether growling at Seaweed as Prudy or commenting about taking showers for extra credit as the gym teacher, Grimm had me busting a gut. She makes the show PG-13, but I wouldn’t change a single thing about Grimm’s lines or performance. Also playing three roles is Ben Maters. Whether he’s being Harriman F. Spritzer, the school principal or Mr. Pinky, Maters makes him cameos stand out on the stage. Maters is a one-man show in the midst of a large crowd. Like Tracy, Little Inez (Jalise Wilson) wants to get on the “Corny Collins Show” to dance, and can’t understand why the black kids can’t dance with the white kids. Wilson doesn’t get her own song or anything, but it’s obvious from the get-go Wilson has some major talent in that small body of hers. Watch for her name in the years to come. Helping to convince you it’s the 1960s is the spectacular costumes and wigs. Costume designer Stephen R. Hollenbek and his crew deserve their own standing ovations for them. They will take you back 50-some years.My only gripe with this production of “Hairspray” is with some of the staging. There are platforms on the exterior of the set that block certain segments of the audience from seeing everything that is going on in the interior of the stage when an actor is standing on those platforms. Hint: Don’t have action going on in the middle of the stage (Tracy in bed, waking up, singing at the start of Act I) if there’s something or someone (aka Edna) standing on the platform on the exterior of the stage at the same time. This happened to me for “Tarzan”, and again for “Hairspray”, even though I was sitting in a different seat for each show. Overall though, I would highly recommend this show to anyone. It’s a good time, has lots of humor and a very talented cast. Artistic Director and choreographer Scott Michaels more than earned his pay on this show. My rating of “Hairspray” (out of four): 4. “Hairspray” is at the Wagon Wheel now through July 2. To order tickets or for more information, call the box office at 574-267-8041 or visit the website at wagonwheeltheatre.com
