The Director's Chair: Adam Shankman's Hairspray Diary #20

BroadwayWorld.com has an exclusive look into the making of the movie musical HAIRSPRAY with this special Director's Diary written by Adam Shankman.

THIS MAGIC MOMENT 

I will never forget this day. It was perfect. I didn't know that people could even dream this big. We've been working so hard to prepare for the table read-through with the entire cast and the Detention Kids and the Council Kids.  A lot of the Maybelle dancers are here too. I'm very nervous.  Everybody from New Line is flying in…all of my executives.  Obviously the producers are here, my sister is here. Thank god, I miss her so much.  I just wish she had brought the kids so I could run around and play outside for a little bit.  But the entire ensemble is looking at each other for the first time: John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken, Queen Latifah, James Marsden, (who is turning out to be the funniest Corny Collins ever), Amanda, Zac, Elijah and Nikki.  The only one we're missing is Allison Janney, so a Canadian actor will be reading all of the parts that haven't been cast yet.  Jerry Stiller is not here which would be such a boost to the rest of the cast, but oh well, such is life. 

We set up the tables in a long diagonal across from the rehearsal mirrors, then with bleachers on one side for all of the Council Kids and on the other side to hold all of the Detention Kids.  When we perform the numbers, the dancers will get up and perform to the tracks that Marc has already laid down.  

I thought it would be terrifying but, instead, it was one of the most emotional and beautiful days I will probably ever know in my entire life.  As I sat there, side by side with Garrett, my sister, Marc and Scott and everybody, I stared across the table at that cavalcade of stars - youngsters and adults - and watched them all become one gorgeous ensemble.  At this point to date, everybody has been rehearsing in a separate way.  Hearing Chris Walken and John Travolta perform the scenes as husband and wife was a breathtaking emotional revelation, and when Latifah got up to sing "I Know Where I've Been," the entire ensemble gasped as the Detention kids and the Maybelle dancers stood up and began singing as her back up choir.  No one expected it.  I foolishly didn't realize that of course they would, since they'd all learned this song. I saw Michelle start to cry.  

How is it possible that I am actually directing and choreographing this entire production? That I have the awesome responsibility of bringing this to screen, based on the expectations of Marc and Scott (two of my best friends), Michael Lynne and Bob Shaye (creators of the original movie and the Broadway play), Mark Kaufman (my Executive), who is leaning on me to deliver in a way that is akin to having an anvil on my head. I guess this movie is just so bloody important to these people.  One thing that became so unbelievably apparent to me is that Nikki is literally the beating heart and soul of the entire production. I saw the adult stars, all Oscar-nominees and the like, study her and what her performance was like and realize that they all had to step up to her level. Imagine that.  All of those monolithic stars looking at Nikki Blonsky, who four months earlier, was scooping ice cream and nervous about starring in her high school play, was now running circles around one of the most magnificent casts ever assembled.  At the end, I sighed, thanked everybody, applauded and roared…everybody stood.

It was perfect. Then I walked into the bathroom, threw up and started to cry. I think that was a good thing. 

I wonder if my life is going to change after this.    On the other hand, life is always supposed to change, but so few many people get to see and witness in such a tangible way why it may change.  At this point I don't even care if it changes. I just sat through the greatest day I will ever know.