Bay Area Musicals brings the Joy to HAIRSPRAY

The San Francisco Bay Area Musicals’ organizers have got a certified hit on their hands with their rendition of Hairspray, directed and choreographed by Matthew McCoy. This production proves that local theater can often be just as good and as entertainingly fulfilling as any off-Broadway production.

Hairspray as many know is a Tony-award winning musical based on the famous 1988 movie directed by John Waters (of “Pink Flamingos” notoriety), Baltimore is divided by segregation, but there are two things that bring young people together, and those are hit music and dancing. Specifically, on the “The Corny Collins Show”, an “American Bandstand” type television dance show where teenagers shimmy to music from their favorite artists.

Set in 1962, the television dance show is still segregated, although some of the music isn’t, and the viewers definitely are not. The challenge is for these young people to be able to enjoy their favorite artists, regardless of race, on the same show together at the same time. There is romance, there is intrigue, there is justice, and there is fun. That’s oversimplifying the plot a bit, but you get the picture.

Says Bay Area Musicals, “It‘s 1962 in Baltimore, and the lovable plus-size teen, Tracy Turnblad, has only one desire – to dance on the popular “Corny Collins Show.” When her dream comes true, Tracy is transformed from social outcast to sudden star. She must use her newfound power to dethrone the reigning Teen Queen, win the affections of heartthrob, Link Larkin, and integrate a TV network… all without denting her ‘do!”

Of course, Hairspray is not just a term that is used for jokes, it’s a real thing. The coolest style that the most revolutionary kids could wear at the time was a gravity-defying beehive bouffant held in place with a ton of this ubiquitous product. The Corny Collins Show show even holds an annual “Miss Teenage Hairspray” pageant, which of course we all hope our plus-sized, integration-oriented and uber-talented heroine, Tracy Turnblad, might win. If not for her, then for the Cause (because the Struggle is Real).

We have to give much credit to the cast and crew, because they are extremely  well chosen for their roles, and equally talented. Not only do they reflect the diversity of Baltimore, but they also reflect the diversity of the modern acting and theater community.

This production of Hairspray makes you forget that there aren’t $10 million stage sets involved, or celebrity voices involved, because the cast’s singing and dancing and joy is contagious to the audience.

It was said by several attendees that this is such a great value, instead of spending $200 or $300 per ticket, we can get fantastic the seats at well  under $100, and feel it is worth every penny.

We agree! Run, don’t walk, to get your tickets to see Hairspray at the Victoria Theatre in San Francisco while this show runs.

The cast of HAIRSPRAY features Cassie Grilley as “Tracy Turnblad,” Melissa Momboisse as “Penny Pingleton,” Scott Di Lorenzo as “Edna Turnblad,” Kamren Mahaney as “Link Larkin,” Elizabeth Jones as “Motormouth Maybelle,” David Abrams as “Seaweed J. Stubbs,” Kennedy Williams as “Little Inez,” Paul Plain as “Wilbur Turnblad,” Lauren Meyer as “Amber Von Tussle,” Sarah Sloan as “Velma Von Tussle,” Scott Taylor-Cole as “Corny Collins,” Bonnie Lafer as “Prudy Pingleton/Others,” Kim Larsen as “Principal/Male Authority,” Stephen Kanaski as “Brad, NC,” Ronald James as “Fender, NC,” Emma Sutherland as “Brenda, NC,” Brendan Looney as “Sketch, NC,” Claire Pearson as “Tammy, NC,” Steven McCloud as “I.Q., NC,” Peli Naomi Woods as “Detention Kid/Dynamite,” Smita Patibanda as “Detention Kid/Dynamite,” Chanel Tilghman as “Detention Kid/Dynamite,” April Deutschle as “Detention Kid,” Carlos Carrillo as “Detention Kid,” Zoe Hodge as “Detention Kid” and Ajay Prater as “Detention Kid.”

Where: Victoria Theatre, 2961 16th St, San Francisco, CA 94103
Tickets: www.bamsf.org/hairspray