Hairspray
at Washington Lee High School

Reviewed on April 24, 2015

Makiko Miyazaki
Walt Whitman High School
Submitted for publication to Washington Post - Alex/Arl

You Can't Stop the Beat of the Washington-Lee High School actors as they shake and shimmy through their production of Hairspray. The explosion of color and music welcomes you to the ‘60s, and soon you are singing and tapping your feet along with beloved characters.

Hairspray has touched the hearts of all kinds of audiences. The 2002 Broadway production, based on John Waters' 1988 film, ran for a whopping seven years and won eight Tony Awards.

Tracy (Maddie Ashton) is a girl with big hair and big dreams in Baltimore. Her biggest dream comes true when she wins a spot in the Corny Collins show alongside teenage heartthrob Link Larkin (Sam Burris). Helped by her parents (Joe Myers, Ian Crovella), Tracy dances her way to the top of the show. Ashton was delightful to watch; bouncing across stage and smiling radiantly, Ashton maintained the energy and the bubbliness that drove the show.

To Tracy's ecstasy, Link Larkin falls in love with her. Although he focuses much on looks when Tracy first meets him, his relationship with Tracy sheds his superficiality over time. Burris underwent this character development seamlessly; his flipping of his perfectly wavy hair and dazzling smiles provided contrast to the sincere expressions towards the end. Tracy's relationship with Link brings nasty retaliations from his former girlfriend and costar of the Corny Collins show, Amber von Tussle (Vanessa Dang). Amber tries desperately to prevent Tracy's meteoric rise, to bring Link back to her, and to win the Miss Teenage Hairspray pageant. Dang distinguished herself as a charming villain through strong vocals and consistent commitment to character, shaped through her sugary voice, confident poise, and general energy.

Meanwhile, Penny, Tracy's steadfast, buoyant friend whom Julia Landini portrays through her wit, comedy, and pleasant voice, falls in love with an African American student, Seaweed J. Stubbs (Nabil Ali). It is through Seaweed that Tracy meets Motormouth Maybelle (Mecca Whiters-Russell), his mother and host of "Negro Day" on the Corny Collins show. Motormouth helps Tracy witness the racial discrimination and lead the fight for integration of the show. Singing of determination and resilience, Whiters-Russell brought the house down with "I Know Where I've Been." Revealing raw emotion, her soulful rendition sobered the audience reminding them of the injustice hidden beneath the bubble of the show.

The show ran smoothly thanks to the stage crew, who executed scene changes swiftly and silently. Another firm support came from the student orchestra, which played with few mistakes. The cast's general enthusiasm covered some drops in energy and the commitment of the ensemble.

Blessed with strong characters and technical elements, Washington-Lee High School's production of Hairspray deserved the standing ovation it received. Although it was set around the time of the Civil Rights Movement, Hairspray highlights the need to break through social injustice in a way that is brutally applicable today. The cast and crew should be commended for bringing its timeless message of the need for acceptance – of others and of ourselves – to light.

Zoe Hawryluk
Westfield High School
Submitted for publication to Washington Post - Alex/Arl

Welcome to the Sixties! A time where hemlines are shorter, hair is higher, and teenagers are expressing themselves through music, style, and television. However, it's not all fun and games in Baltimore: racial tensions are high, and the popular Corny Collins Show is involved in a controversy over its own integration. With the help of a spunky girl and her diverse group of friends, change is just around the corner in Washington Lee's congenial performance of Hairspray.

Hairspray opened on Broadway in 2002 with rave reviews. The show won eight Tony Awards out of twelve nominations in 2003, including Best Musical, as well as best Book, Score, and Director. The show closed after six years and over 2,500 performances, has enjoyed many national tours and West End revivals, and was made into a movie in 2007.

The year is 1962, and it is Baltimore teen Tracy Turnblad's dream to dance on The Corny Collins Show with heartthrob Link Larkin, fall in love, and integrate television – all before she graduates from high school! After winning a part on her favorite TV show, she becomes an instant celebrity and campaigns to "make every day Negro day." With a comical array of characters, Hairspray brings to light the social and cultural injustices of 1960s America in a fun-loving musical.

Maddie Ashton played the adorably rambunctious Tracy Turnblad with boundless energy. She commanded attention from the very beginning in "Good Morning Baltimore" and displayed consistently solid vocal tonality throughout the show. She was believable as she fawned over captivatingly cute Link Larkin, a budding Elvis waiting for his big break, charmingly played by Sam Burris. Burris was polished and punched the quick choreography in ensemble dance numbers for songs like "Nicest Kids in Town."

Julia Landini was delightful as Tracy's best friend, the hopelessly sheltered Penny Pingleton. Landini burst with energy and had cleverly timed one-liners. With a cast of over 60, the leads were occasionally lost in the large ensemble numbers due to low ensemble energy; however they managed to shine overall and could be heard throughout the show, despite some issues with sound. Some standout ensemble performers included Maura O'Reilly, who enthusiastically danced her way around as Tammy with the Nicest Kids, as well as Robby Gessel who played the quirky Mr. Pinky.

The minimal set was a fresh change from the usual flashy, bright colors associated with this show and the 1960s. Even though some actors were often in the dark because of lighting design, they played up the minimal set well. The pit did not disappoint either, as they were consistently heard and on tempo.

Putting on a show that deals with controversial issues like race is a daunting task to take on, especially when working with a large group of students. Though some racial comments and jokes may have been lost in delivery, Washington Lee High School enjoyably performed one of America's best loved musicals, and proved that the only thing better than Hairspray is unconditional acceptance.

Eva Petersen
Fairfax High School
Submitted for publication to Patch.com - ARL/MC/Mont/DC

Teenagers in the 1960s had a lot of problems to deal with. Problems like love triangles, inadequate hair height, and systemic racial violence. Hairspray, performed by Washington-Lee High School, explored these problems with both humor and heart.

Hairspray follows overweight aspiring dancer Tracy Turnblad as she dreams of dancing on TV, getting caught up in Baltimore's integration struggle along the way. The stage musical is adapted from a 1988 movie of the same name. The show ran on Broadway for over 2,500 performances, winning a Tony for Best Musical in 2003.

Fronting the show as Tracy Turnblad was the bubbly Maddie Ashton. Ashton welcomed every obstacle with a smile and seemed to infect everyone she encountered with cheeriness. Accompanying her on her musical jaunt through Baltimore was the debonair Link Larkin (Sam Burris). Burris oozed charm, embodying his role as "the cool guy" perfectly with every charismatic facial expression and smooth gesture. The teenage crooner always established connections with the audience as he sang, particularly with "It Takes Two".

Supporting Ashton and and Burris were Julia Landini and Nabil Ali as Penny Pingleton and Seaweed J. Stubbs, respectively. Landini's transformation from mousey plain Jane to confident mod queen was truly stunning. Ali filled out the role of Seaweed well with suave dance moves and plenty of attitude. Stealing the show was the hilarious Joe Myers as Edna Turnblad. Whether he was reacting to Tracy's newfound fame or threatening to duke it out with ice queen Velma Von Tussle (the menacing Charlotte Martin), Myers caused a riot. Playing Motormouth Maybelle was the formidable Mecca Whiters-Russell. Her chill-inducing vocals during "I Know Where I've Been" left a lasting impression, especially in light of recent present-day racial tensions.

The Washington-Lee tech crew did an excellent job of transporting theatergoers back to the Swinging 60s. Brightly colored lights designed by Raphael Debraine evoked the mod era well. Hair and makeup designed by Charlotte Martin accurately reflected the time period. The sea of bouffants were an excellent visual during the many dance numbers.

Hairspray is a lighthearted musical rife with heavy topics. The students of Washington-Lee handled the more serious themes with thoughtful maturity while keeping the feel-good vibes the musical is known for.