HAIRSPRAY Plays CCBC Essex, Opens 7/22

John Waters' ultimate Baltimore musical - "Hairspray"-comes to the CCBC Essex stage this weekend and runs through Aug. 7. Based on the 1988 New Line Cinema film classic written and directed by Waters, this delightfully campy homage to 1960's Baltimore will have you dancing in the aisles. The multiple Tony winner ran for more than six years on Broadway and now we've got it back in Baltimore!

The plot revolves around Tracy Turnblad's dreams of dancing on "The Corny Collins Show" (In Baltimore, everyone knows that would be "The Buddy Deane Show"!). First, the teenage Tracy (played by Sarah Ford Gorman of Towson) has to convince her Mom Edna (John W. Ford of Perry Hall) to let her audition. Then, when Tracy achieves her dream and becomes an overnight sensation, she launches a campaign to integrate the show. Along the way, there is romance with teenage hunk Link Larkin (played by Shane Lowry of Fallston) and rivalry with stuck-up Amber Von Tussle (played by ElisaBeth Johnson of Bel Air).

All of this is played out against the shadow of 1960's segregation, which prevents black teen dancers from being part of the show. Motormouth Maybelle (played by Eleanor Lawrence Wyche of Baltimore City), is the owner of a downtown record shop and the host of "Negro Day" on "The Corny Collins Show." Her talented son, Seaweed (played by J Hargrove of Baltimore City) falls in love with Tracy's best friend, Penny Pingleton (played by Anna Holmes of Bel Air.) His sister, Little Inez, (played by Tiara N. Whaley of Edgewood) wants to audition for the regular show.

Cockpit in Court Summer Theatre, in residence at CCBC Essex, presents "Hairspray - The Broadway Musical" July 22 through Aug. 7, 2011 on the Mainstage in the B Building at CCBC Essex, 7201 Rossville Boulevard. Tickets are $20 general admission, $18 for seniors (60+) and $12 for children 12 years old and under. For tickets and information, call the CCBC Box Office at 443-840-ARTS (2787).

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