Interview: Cast Of Walnut Street Theater's HAIRSPRAY

There is an excitement in the air on the opening night of HAIRSPRAY, as both Amy Toporek (Tracy Turnblad) and Michael Walker (Edna Turnblad) take a seat on the comfy couch in the green room at the Walnut Street Theater. It is ninety minutes before curtain and this talented pair is all smiles, each overflowing with wonderful things to say about one another.

Amy and Michael have fallen into the lucky positions of filling these fun-loving roles; during the touring production each actor was originally the understudy. It is always unfortunate when an injury and/or illness strikes a cast member, but for these two talented actors this unfortunate incident has become the opportunity of a lifetime.

Amy Toporek is a proud Edison New Jersey girl who cherishes her theatrical experiences both in college and in community theater. "I'm very proud of the work I did in New Jersey Community Theater." Toporek says. "I would be no where without it."
The actress also has an interesting background at her local JCC. As a summer camper at the JCC of Central NJ, Scotch Plains, she enjoyed years of fun both as a counselor and as a singer with the JCC's own band, the Shabbatones. "For those who are Jewish, we have our day of rest on Friday called Shabbot, so we put together this song called "It's Friday, it's Shabbot," set to the tune of "It's Friday, I'm in love." Toporek takes great pride in demonstrating her role as the bouncy, sock-it-to-me singer as often as she can, singing the song to all those who will listen, much to the delight of her current co-star and all those present in the room. But not all of Amy Toporek's experience came from camp shows; she gained her real stage experience while playing BJ in ‘Smokey Joe's Café.' This role allowed her to shine in her first professional show. Toporek also took great joy in playing Miss Flannery in one of her dream roles, ‘Thoroughly Modern Millie,' and she worked hard to earn the part.

In turn, Michael Walker is also excited to be at the Walnut Street Theater. He is originally from Huntsville, AL , and is a graduate of the University of Alabama. His credits includes the National Tour of Seussical, Hairspray, stints in NY Theatre, Snore-Looking Glass Theatre, Guys and Dolls, Godspell, The Full Monty, and many more.

Having only worked together for about two weeks during the tour, Toporek and Walker only had a small taste of what it was like acting alongside one another. But now they are able to really put it together, and appreciate what each actor brings to the table. One of the aspects that Toporek and Walker both appreciate about the Walnut's production are the inventive sets. Both also admire the director's extra attention to developing the character's relationships. This is a big plus for new actors as they didn't really have much of a chance to build chemistry with their previous co-workers on tour. Having a director present and working with them is wonderful thing.

Pati Buehler (To Michael Walker): Tell me your "Edna Turnblad" story.

Michael Walker: (Laughs) "Honestly, I went in and really botched (the song) ‘Timeless to Me' in auditions. The director stopped me in the middle to ask, ‘Do you know this song?'.He said go to the piano and sing this note. So I did."

PB: Well, that must have been nerve-racking. So how did you land the role?

MW: Well, they said that I was really funny and that I read the scenes very well. I started out as the Edna understudy and the same thing happened to me that happened to Amy. The gentleman who was playing the role of Edna tore a muscle and I stepped into the role for the last four months only to find he could not come back, so that's literally how I got my break.

PB: You've played Dave in Full Monty, Sancho in Man of LaMancha and Nicely-Nicely in Guys and Dolls. This is a bit of a switch up, huh?

MW: You know, I think Sancho is a lot like Nicely Nicely in that Nicely Nicely would do anything for Nathan Detroit and Sancho would do anything for Don Quixote.

PB: Getting back to HAIRSPRAY, tell me about the chemistry between you two.

Amy Toporek: I hate him! (Laughs)

MW: I had the pleasure the other night of not having to be on the stage and watch Amy do some of "You Can't Stop the Beat" and she is infectious, not like a disease, (laughs) but you get sucked in by her energy.

AT: (Laughs) Oh no, now I have to take back what I just said. Michael is just so charming- on and off stage. He's hilarious and I love working with him. Working on the show there were many moments that surprised us pleasantly and we all looked at each other and said ‘We're at the Walnut now and this is how it works .'

PB: Is this your dream role?

AT: This is pretty close for me right now.

MW: I am itching to do Death of A Salesman as well.

At the final curtain, both Amy and Michael received a roaring ovation from the crowd. Amy was overwhelmed as so many of her family members and friends were in the audience for Opening Night, and she comes off the stage glowing. It is hard not to be touched by these two actors lucky breaks.

 So here we are; another night, and another two more talented HAIRSPRAY actors who took some time to talk with me the night before Thanksgiving. This time it was Philly favorite Ben Dibble and the young and amazing Josh Young.

Young's credits include: (Link Larkin) HAIRSPRAY (2008), Marius Les Miserables WST (2008), and the 3rd Nat'l tour (2004), A Little Night Music (Henrik) 2008, West Side Story (Tony) 2005-06 tour, Titanic (Barrett) 2001, HAIR (Claude) 2001, Jamie in The Last Five Years, Brad in The Rocky Horror Show, Dodger in Oliver, Don in A Chorus Line.

Young has also just released his debut solo album entitled .Josh Young, which can be found on www.josh-young.com. Featured songs on the album were written by and produced by Brian Lowdermilk with lyrics by Kait Kerrigan. Young's theatrical training began at the age of twelve with Media Theatre, and he began studying voice at the Voice Foundation of Philadelphia. As he grew he continued to train and perform at Upper Darby Summer Stage and Young People's Theatre Workshop (YPTW) at The Player's Club of Swathmore. Towards the end of Young's high school career, he gained acceptance to the prestigious Pennsylvania Governor's School for the Arts in Voice in Drama.

I had the pleasure of seeing Josh Young perform twice as Marius, once with the 3rd National tour of Les Miserables and of course most recently with the Walnut Street Theater's production of that show. Young has really grown into this role in terms of his vocal quality as well as his convincing acting.

He revealed to me that during the Philly run of the tour he was performing with a pinched nerve in his spine, which made being on stage a painful experience, but having so many friends and family coming to support him, well, he rose above the pain to perform.

Ben Dibble's credits are as follows: (Corny Collins) HAIRSPRAY Les Miserables, ensemble 2008, ASSASSINS @ Arden (Lee Harvey Oswald) 2008, Candide @ Arden (Candide), 2005 Barrymore F. Otto Haas Award for an Emerging Philadelphia Theatre Artist. Frog & Toad, Dinosaur 2005. Bat Boy 2003 (1812 Theater) and many, many more.

Theater has been special for Dibble ever since age sixteen, when he landed a leading role in a high school play. This is when he first began thinking of a career in theater. Later, he attended the University of the Arts on a scholarship, majoring in musical theater. In the spring of 2000, he made his professional debut at the Arden Theatre, with a role in Into the Woods. He's been busy ever since and has appeared on the stages of the Wilma Theater, the Walnut Street Theatre, l812 Productions, and Act 11 Playhouse -- and, of course, the Arden. He not only performs in children's theater, but also teaches acting and theater to children through its educational program. The versatile actor has also performed in cabarets he created, including a solo show at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

Dibble is not the only theater professional in the family. His wife, Amy Dugas Brown, a Main Line native, is associate artistic director of the Arden Theatre and is in charge of educational programs.

Part of Ben Dibble's appeal is that he is still a big kid who is not quite ready to grow up.

If we are keeping tabs on Dibble, he has done over 40 productions in Philly in an eight-year period. It may like he's been here much longer, but we both agreed that it was due to the ‘overexposure of Ben' - a man who has done so many shows just seems to have been around longer.

Of all the roles Dibble has played, he admits that Bat Boy, the Musical was the most challenging. "I felt every cell of my being challenged with that role." Starting the show as a feral beast, climbing walls in full costume and make-up, hanging upside down to sing a song and progress into this young vulnerable person was a big task. Vocally he had to find a way to go from a screeching animal, a torture soul, choosing to sing or screech at any given moment.

Dibble will also play role of Leo Bloom in Walnut's upcoming production of the Producers, and couldn't be more excited.

I also the pleasure of seeing the Arden Theater's production of ASSASSINS, in which Ben Dibble played a stunning and scary Lee Harvey Oswald.

Now Young and Dibble share their HAIRSPRAY experience with us.

JY: While we were doing Les Miserables the casting director asked a couple of us to come in for the show and read for our parts and do a little dance combination. (He is primarily not a dancer.) I asked that the choreographer spend a bit more time with me, as many of the kids trying out for the show are predominately dancers. So I worked very hard, learned the steps, and now I am having a great time with the role of Link Larkin.

PB: (To Josh Young and Ben Dibble) Any advice to young people fresh out of college or performing arts school?

BD: If you really have a passion to choose a career as a performer, do it, but if you can have an equally strong passion for something else do that as well.

PB: (To Ben Dibble) In Arden Theater's production of ASSASSINS, you played a Lee Harvey Oswald. Tell us about that.

BD: That was really a dark stage experience. At the end of every show, there was always a bottle of bourbon in the green room and everyone had a drink, gave each other a hug and reassured each other that were all still OK. Most of the cast is some of my dear friends. We've worked together for years here in Philly, and we really needed to let go of the show every night and just enjoy each other's company.

PB: To say that you are a versatile character actor is an understatement. Watching you master such opposite roles as a psychotic killer to HAIRSPRAY's Corny Collins is a remarkable transformation. You summon a smile every time you appear in those lovely corny suits!

BD: Thank you. I have been so fortunate. Philly has been a great place for me. It has allowed me the diversity to move from playing characters such as Candide to the old ball wackiness of Big Bang and Frog and Toad.

PB: I don't think you will ever be cast typed, Ben.

BD: I hope not (smiling.) I've wiggled my way out of being put in niche roles, so far.

JY: In New York, it is very easy to be pigeonholed into a role. Ben has done an amazing job here in Philly to thrive in so many roles.

PB: Seeing many of the same Philly faces on so many stages is a debatable topic. Some folks complain now and then about using the same actors repeatedly. In some cases not every role fits like a glove, but in many cases the performers are just so adaptable and so darn talented, that you can't argue the point once you see the overall productions. What do you think?

BD: I think that part of what is so special about our Philly audience. There's a large group of people that really want to see the performers stretch themselves. Some Philly theater patrons have seen perhaps 30 shows here especially if they subscribe to several theaters. They literally feel like they have a connection to you personally and they invest in you as a performer. They care that you have built a family life here in the community.

PB: (Laughs) You must mean you and your Diblets.

BD: (Laughs) Yes, I have my three little Diblets!

PB: Ben, you are the father of three with the oldest being three.

JY: I used to think about what it's like to have kids, until I started sharing a dressing room with Ben.

(Both laugh.)

PB: Lets talk about the Broadway revival of West Side Story. It has been pretty much agreed tonight night in the green room of the Walnut that Josh Young would have made a great Tony in the upcoming production.

JY: Thank you. There was talk a while back that they would cast the show very young. But they were having difficulty getting all the casting aged just right. So they started casting differently and went from there. It will be interesting and exciting to see this return to Broadway.

PB: Both of you have expressed your concerns for the arts in 2009 and beyond and the importance of having significant leadership to support the industry.

JY: You know, there was theater during the depression and with a measure of support from those on a higher level of administration there is hope the arts will survive and thrive again.

 

 Photo Credits:

#1 Michael Walker & Amy Toporek ( Edna and Tracy Turnblad) WST*, Bret Thomas

#2 Any Toporek headshot courtesy WST

#3 Michael Walker headshot www.michaeltwalker.net & Emily Elam

#4 Amy Toporek & Michael Walker (Pati Buehler)

#5 Josh Young headshot www.josh-young.com

#6 Josh Young, Ben Dibble & cast of HAIRSPRAY WST, Bret Thomas

#7 Ben Dibble headshot courtesy WST

#8 Ben Dibble as Corny Collins WST, Bret Thomas

#9 Ben Dibble & Josh Young (Pati Buehler)

*WST (Walnut Street Theater)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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