You can’t stop the beat at the Fulton Theatre! Their current production of Hairspray is bringing fun, energy, and lots of laughs to downtown Lancaster. Fulton’s colorful revival of this iconic musical appeals to generations from the 60s to 2026 with its talented performers, infectious spirit, and inspiring message. Hairspray tells the story of a teenage girl, Tracy, who changes her community’s discriminatory ideology by dancing her way onto Corny Collin’s TV show, “The Nicest Kids in Town” and bringing her friends, Penny, Seaweed, and Inez, with her.
The show is ultimately about accepting people of all races, sizes, and backgrounds. Fulton’s Hairspray could not be the success that it is without its cast of triple-threats. Eden Franco (Tracy) is a vocal powerhouse, immediately impressing the audience from her first belt in the opening number, “Good Morning Baltimore”. In addition, The Dynamites’ (Brianna Marie Johnson, Mya Rena Hunter, and Erica Wilkins) rich and resonant backup vocals in “Welcome to the 60s” deserve applause of their own. This production has nearly nonstop choreography, but the ensemble grooves to every number with the same lively energy.
Lawrence Flowers’ (Seaweed) smooth moves are especially a crowd favorite. Acting alongside him, Eileen Ray Brady’s (Penny) awkward physicality is irrefutably hilarious. The choreography by director Kenneth E. Ingram is upbeat, period-appropriate, and just subtle enough to allow the vocals and acting to shine. In “The Big Dollhouse”, however, it is slightly too subtle, losing the panache of the classic Broadway tap number. Not only does the choreography keep the cast moving, but it also keeps the pace moving! Intermission arrives in seemingly a matter of minutes.
Another contributor to the fast pacing are the fluid sets, designed by Jeffrey D. Kmiec, which eliminate the need for blackouts between scene changes. Fulton’s video screen complements the relatively minimal sets to provide context, though the dizzying patterns and bright colors often consume the cast and overwhelm the audience.
Hairspray promotes a message of inclusivity and community that defines downtown Lancaster. Fulton’s beat doesn’t stop until May 3rd. This show will get you dancing in your seat and thinking long after the curtain closes. Now, run and tell that
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