Hairspray
at St. Andrew's Episcopal School

Reviewed on February 20, 2016

Sydney Smith
Bullis School
Submitted for publication to Washington Post - Montgomery

You Can't Stop the Beat in St. Andrew's production of Hairspray! Written by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan with music and lyrics by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, Hairspray opened on Broadway in 2002 and was adapted into a 2007 musical film.

Hairspray, based on the 1988 John Waters film of the same name follows Tracy Turnblad, a larger-than-life teenager living in 1960's Baltimore who dreams of dancing on the Corny Collins Show. After her dream comes true, she uses her newfound stardom to promote racial integration on the show and to capture the attention of teenage heartthrob, Link Larkin. Despite harassment from the show's scheming producer, Velma von Tussle, and her egocentric daughter, Amber, Tracy must fight for what's right: the acceptance of everyone, regardless of skin color or size.

The passionate, yet sometimes naïve Tracy was played by Ashley Webb, whose vocals ignited the audience from the very beginning. Though Webb was in almost every scene of the show, she never lacked energy and truly captured the heart and soul of her character. Opposite Webb was Sean Leech as the hunky Link Larkin. Leech's surprisingly wide vocal range and his handsome smile made the audience fall in love with him from his Act I serenade entitled, "It Takes Two."

Other outstanding performances included Will McLearn as Edna Turnblad, Tracy's hefty mother, and LJ Jackson as Wilbur Turnblad, her goofy father. McLearn's realistic Baltimore accent and honest portrayal of this historic drag role meshed perfectly with Jackson's soulful vocals and impeccable comedic timing. Tracy's entourage of friends including Seaweed J. Stubbs (Justin Harmon), Penny Pingleton (Rachel Sidel), and Motormouth Maybelle (Youme Diallo) were among other standouts. Harmon's electrifying vocals and Sidel's sincere interpretation of the character's perkiness had the audience rooting for them as an odd, but lovable couple. In her moving song, "I Know Where I've Been" Diallo's beautiful voice soared across the house and encompassed everyone to share this magical moment. Though malicious in her antagonistic character, Amelia Heesen as Velma von Tussle proved herself to be a dynamic force onstage with her fear-inducing vocals and hilarious reactions when nothing around her goes as planned.

The crew's hard work did not go unnoticed as most of the light changes happened instantly. There were some lengthy scene changes that took away from the show a bit, but overall the stage crew did a commendable job. Although some ensemble members struggled with energy and volume throughout the show, they shared unity when handling choreography and accomplishing harmony.

Sacha Cameron
Annandale High School
Submitted for publication to Washington Post - Montgomery

You truly couldn't stop the beat at St. Andrew's Episcopal School as they put on their production of "Hairspray" on February 20th. This funny, upbeat show was attention-grabbing and all-around entertaining.

Set in 1962, "Hairspray" may be familiar due to its success as both a movie as well as a Broadway musical. It chronicles the story of Tracy Turnblad, a girl with big hair and an even bigger dream — to be a dancer on the Corny Collins Show. Despite the rest of the world working against her, Tracy dances with pride, integrates the Corny Collins show, gets the boy of her dreams, and becomes Miss Teenage Hairspray.

Sophomore Ashlyn Webb carried the show as Tracy Turnblad, bringing a whole new level of energy and heart to the show. She was spot on throughout the entire show, never missing a line or a beat, and managed to maintain the high level of energy needed to portray Tracy. Her vocals were particularly impressive, especially during songs like "Good Morning Baltimore" and "I Can Hear the Bells". A true triple threat, she commanded attention no matter what she was doing.

Rounding out the Turnblad family, Will McLearn and LJ Jackson impressed as Edna and Wilbur Turnblad respectively. The two had great chemistry with one another as well as with the character of Tracy. McLearn was able to embody the character of a mother perfectly with his consistently strong vocal work and his physicality — from the way he walked to the way he held himself. Jackson had a very natural humor to him and was very believable in his role as Tracy's dad.

Though occasionally cast members lacked energy and focus, a lively vibe was brought to the show through characters like Seaweed J. Stubbs, played by Justin Harmon. A skilled dancer, he exuded confidence and charisma in numbers like "Run and Tell That". Velma Von Tussle, the producer of the Corny Collins Show, brought hilarity to each of her lines.

The cast featured a number of other talented vocalists, such as crooner Sean Leech as the heartthrob of the show, Link Larkin. One of the most memorable numbers of the show was "I Know Where I've Been". Youme Diallo, playing Motormouth Maybelle, brought soulfulness to the stage through her voice in a very moving performance.

Consisting of an open, two-story platform, the simple set design created a lot of versatile space for the actors. Scene transitions done with a similar simplicity and ease. Lighting used different colors to distinguish between locations and times of day successfully, though some cues were ill-timed.

Everything really came together in the end for St. Andrew's Episcopal School's production. As the show finished strongly with the iconic "You Can't Stop the Beat", Tracy's story and Webb's earnest performance surely inspired the audience to believe in themselves and to get up and dance as well!

Makena Kiara
Oakcrest School
Submitted for publication to Patch.com - ARL/MC/Mont/DC

Some things have clearly changed in Baltimore over the last 40 years. But others, perhaps not so much. The year is 1962 in Baltimore, Maryland. TV is still in black and white, Rock ‘n' Roll is all the rage, the hairstyles are high, and racial tensions are even higher. St. Andrew's Episcopal School's production of Hairspray authentically captures the ethos of the time in this fun and classic tale of an outsider who challenges the status quo.

Hairspray the musical is based on the 1988 John Water's movie which centers on Tracy Turnblad, a spirited teen who's got the moves but doesn't quite seem to fit in. Her passion for dancing and recognition that she is not part of the ‘it' crowd makes her determined to integrate the local dance television show, the Corny Collins Show. Hairspray opened on Broadway at the Neil Simon Theatre on August 15, 2002. The production ran for more than six years, closing on January 4, 2009 after 2,642 performances. In 2007, Hairspray was adapted into a movie musical which went on to becoming one of the highest grossing musical films in US cinema history.

St. Andrew's Episcopal School's diverse and talented cast wonderfully portrayed this timeless musical about teenagers living during an age of discrimination but still yearning to have a good time. Ashley Webb played Tracy Turnblad. Her powerful voice and natural presence on stage made her perfect for the bold and ambitious character. She was undoubtedly the most lively and energetic character in every scene she was in and truly carried the show. Freshman, Sean Leech played Link Larkin. He had an amazing voice and encapsulated Link as a heartthrob with his signature hair and finger snap.

Another commendable performance was Will McLearn's portrayal of Edna Turnblad, Tracy's mother. The role is played in drag and it is easy to either become stereotypically flamboyant or completely gender neutral, but Will did an excellent job of making his character believable and not over the top. He did not break character once and brought hilarity to every scene he was in with his exuberance and the perfect execution of his comedic lines. Seaweed J. Stubbs, played by Justin Harmon was another notable character. He, too, had exciting stage presence and truly stepped up the energy level of the ensemble in the scenes. Youme Diallo played Motormouth Maybelle and had one of the most soulful and beautiful songs in I Know Where I've Been. She was incredibly emotional and in touch with the song, which some of the other actors lacked, and was very believable as the "big, blonde, and beautiful" Motormouth.

The production also incorporated a live band which added to the authenticity of the performance, while admirably and delightfully complementing the actor's voices. Additionally, the big costume change for Welcome to the 60's was flawless and the ensemble never missed a beat, though not all the costumes were accurate to the time period.

Hairspray is a challenging production for any high school and the performance by St. Andrew's Episcopal School was well-received by the audience and uplifting. And perhaps it serves as a promise that there is hope for more change in Baltimore, Maryland.

Julian Perez-Garcia
Montgomery Blair High School
Submitted for publication to Maryland Theatre Guide

Tastefully tackling a storyline that contests societal norms of the 1960s regarding race and body size is difficult enough, but is made much more impressive when done in a high school production. "Hairspray" at Saint Andrew's Episcopal School manages to do just that, while injecting just enough bounciness and levity in its performance to keep the show moving.

Set in early 1960s Baltimore, "pleasantly plump" teenager Tracy Turnblad (Ashley Webb) wants nothing more than to be on the Corny Collins Show, an all-white program. When she finally makes it on with dance moves she learned from her African-American friend Seaweed (Justin Harmon), she meets her idol Link Larkin (Sean Leech) and falls in love. Standing in her way is producer Velma Von Tussle and her daughter Amber, but Tracy, her friends, and her family work to make the show permanently integrated. Ultimately successful, the musical ends with a kiss between Tracy and Link.

What the show occasionally lacked in technical crispness was more than made up for with its infectious energy, kept moving largely by Webb and Tracy's mother Edna Turnblad, appropriately played by Will McLearn in drag. Youme Diallo, who played black radio DJ Motormouth Maybelle, also provided a soulful and rich voice that permeated the room in her songs such as "Big, Blonde, and Beautiful" and "I Know Where I've Been." Another highlight was the performance of Velma Von Tussle by Amelia Heesen, who employed snakelike movements in her song "Miss Baltimore Crabs" and donned a convincing and consistent expression of disgust throughout the play.

Among the highlights in the supporting cast was Spritzer (Aidan Lucas), who gave a funny performance as the worried and money-focused Corny Collins Show sponsor. Another extremely bright spot in the supporting cast was Wilbur, played by LJ Jackson, who dependably offered laugh-out-loud lines, a honed comedic touch, and a well performed song in "You're Timeless to Me." Jackson also showed clear motivations throughout the musical, making it clear where his heart was at every turn.

The ensemble, while mostly outstanding in their choreography and singing, sometimes looked uninterested. However, they were for the most part exactly what they needed to be – attention grabbing, but not too much so. The council members of the Corny Collins Show were especially well directed in their movements, even though most were without lines.

For all of the show's energy and fun, several technical gaffes detracted from the overall experience. Mistimed lights and microphones randomly giving out were among the distracting components that take away from an otherwise extremely strong show.

While certain sections could have been improved upon, the show was overall an entertaining and amusing piece. Saint Andrews should be proud of their performance.