HAIRSPRAY in L.A.

Posted: 7/22/04 at 4:35am

It's late, so I will be brief for now...just got back from the press preview (and the fun after party...thanks Tim Choi) for HAIRSPRAY at the Pantages in Los Angeles. We had a blast! The audience was so into it from the get-go....better than when I saw the originals in NYC. Marissa was superb and the ensemble tight, and sounding fierce!

Mr. Shaiman, it was a real delight meeting you and a hoot to see you up on stage. Thanks for recognizing Ricki Lake, that was a bonus! Congratulations Marc and thanks for giving L.A. such a gift.

[starlight2]

Posted: 7/22/04 at 5:26am

thanks for the "quickie" Singingbackup!!! oh do tell who all was there!!! where was it? who from the cast did you see? How was Matt Morrison? I am hoping to go in August and see it when one of the former "Rent" cast members from Hairspray is having a little girls' wish come true from the Make A Wish Foundation, read about it on the Rent boards. So glad you had fun and you got to go...and DITTO to Mr. Shaiman, glad he recognized Rickki, kudos to the cast, crew and orchestra who have been on tour with "Hairspray" for almost a year and brought lots of fun and laughter all over the U.S. must be a happy family now!

[Marc Shaiman]

Posted: 7/22/04 at 10:37am

happy happy, joy joy

[DAME]

Posted: 7/22/04 at 10:53am

Will be there next Tuesday and Friday. Can't wait. Mr Shaiman I hope you are there so I can declare you a national hussy in person.

Updated On: 7/22/04 at 10:53 AM

[ponine24601]

Posted: 7/22/04 at 10:59am

lucky, you got to meet marc! please tell us how matt was (*BIG SMILE* )!

[Marc Shaiman]

Posted: 7/22/04 at 11:06am

DAME,

I will be out-of-town!! but return the following week

but please feel free to mount the stage next week and declare me a Hussy in absentia

[DAME]

Posted: 7/22/04 at 11:42am

Anything you say Marc.

[Marc Shaiman]

Posted: 7/22/04 at 12:11pm

DAME,

let me know when you are seeing the show, so that I can teach the cast the lyrics to MAMA, I'M A HUSSY NOW

[ponine24601]

Posted: 7/22/04 at 1:06pm

haha that would be so funny. i would pay to see that. BC/EFA anyone?

[MadeofGold]

Posted: 7/22/04 at 1:44pm

I actually just saw Hairspray for the first time on Friday in NYC and have been obsessed with it ever since. Why didn't I ever see it before? :P I would have loved to see Matt and Marissa so I am much with the jealousy. It sounds like it was an amazing night!

Posted: 7/22/04 at 2:01pm

Some celeb sightings at the Wed preview [in no particular order]:


Ricki Lake
John Stamos (Woof!)
Donna Mills
Robert Gant (QAF)
Cloris Leachman
Christine Ebersole
Joanne Worley
Paul Ruebens (aka Pee Wee Herman)
Lisa Loeb
Mary Jo Catlett
Wilson Cruz
Frances Fisher (Titanic)
Rip Taylor
Linda Hart
Desmond Richardson
Marilu Henner
Jeffery Tambor
Doris Roberts
Dwayne Hickman (Dobie Gillis)
Jenifer Lewis
Sheryl Lee Ralph
Jason Alexander
David Hyde Pierce
Kevin Spirtas (DOOL)
Jack Noseworthy
Rose Marie (to block!)
Charles Busch (who I guess took a night off from 'Auntie Mame')
Bill Brochtrup (NYPD Blue)
Lorna Patterson (Private Benjamin)
Michael Lembeck (One Day at a Time)
Blue Blake ( if you know who he is you win a prize :0 )
Marc somebody or other

More thoughts to come.

Updated On: 7/22/04 at 02:01 PM

Posted: 7/22/04 at 2:49pm

Now that I have had some java, my memory is less clouded.
More star gazing:

Pia Zadora
Shohreh Aghdashloo (Oscar Nominee)
Freda Payne
Jennifer Tilly
Sally Kirkland
Richard Shiff (The West Wing)
Tab Hunter
Cathy Rigby
Deborah Gibson
Jason Ritter
Margaret O'Brien
Ian Zierling
Kristen Bell
Marian Ross
Lucy Lawless
Lanie Kazan
Lea Thompson
Allison Arngrim
Adrian Zmed
John Raitt
Cassandra Peterson (Elvira)
Valerie Harper
Jonathan Lipnicki (the kid from Jerry Maguire)

Whew!

Could be more, but my brain only can hold so many names.

Posted: 7/22/04 at 2:52pm

Good grief - were there any normal people there?

Posted: 7/22/04 at 3:19pm

Normal...besides myself...hmmmmmmmmmmm

Posted: 7/22/04 at 6:44pm

Oh and one more...Anne Jeffries

'please tell us how matt was (*BIG SMILE* )! '

To respond to that and other questions about how the show was:

To be honest, Matt was a bit "over-amped", not sound-wise but energy-wise, especially in the dances, and it was a bit distracting, not in a good way. His overeagerness at times stuck out, as the ensemble was hitting every beat with great energy and pizazz..his overdueing it was unnecessary...maybe because it was L.A. and the press and all.

Bruce was good, but what I thought, initially, was hilarious (and got huge response)now seems out of place and inconsistant. He had some funny ad-libs about Whoopi/Slim Fast, Arnold the Govenator, Linda Ronstadt and a few more, but they were anacronistic (sp?), broke the 60's theme and frankly were cheap laughs. Yes we love a good adlib, or an actor making a character their own, but not at the expense of other actors, or more importantly, the writers, the material and ultimately, the audience.

I might be in the minority on this one.

ALSO:

Both Seaweed and Penny were on fire! Hilarious acting and killer vocals. Motormouth didn't rev up on 'I Know Where I've Been', like I know she can, so that wasn't as moving and rousing as it could have been.

The music is tight and the sound, save for one minor glitch, was flawless (which is rare. I have seen countless shows that, sadly, have lots of sound trouble in previews.) Sets are fun, and fully realized for a touring show.

What delighted me the most was the enthusiasm of the "L.A. crowd." They were into everything, really eating it up, big hands for every number, and on their feet the second the curtain-call began. (This was the same when I saw a random night of Mamma Mia here a few years ago...everyone was dancing and clapping, but not so much in NYC at the Winter Garden when I saw it there, and that was a suprise--bottom line, L.A. DOES have a good theater crowd)

I enjoyed this MORE than when I saw it in NYC with the all the originals.....and i LOVED IT!

[starlight2]

Posted: 7/22/04 at 9:46pm

thanks for all the info, makes me even more excited to see it in August in LA...when I saw the tour, I loved the ad libs from Bruce, yes, it breaks from the 60's, but connects with the audience and makes them feel like this was just for them.and it is character and how he makes Edna his own. Funny you should mention that about Penny, on the Hairspray and another board this week, several also said she upstaged Marissa and Matt, or was better than they were, any ideas on that one? Was she as good as Jenn? Any super "hot" cast members at the party, you mentioned the celebs, but how bout the cast? ( besides our divine Marc and Scott) Was Margo there? ok, again, glad you had fun and thanks for sharing with us all.be nice to have pics...

Posted: 7/22/04 at 9:58pm

theres an article on calendarlive.com but you need a subscription and you need to provide your credit card even for the 14 day trial so i havent read it.

Posted: 7/22/04 at 10:05pm

they have pics you can view at wireimage.com. Most of the cast was there, though I didn't see Bruce or Marissa.

She didn't upstage Marissa so much as command the stage and the laughs on equal footing as Marissa and was better than Matt. She was the better than the original, I can tell you that.

[starlight2]

Posted: 7/22/04 at 10:13pm

thanks Mistress, and have fun in LA with Jim, you lucky girl youz! you will tell us all about it right??!!

[starfromafar]

Posted: 7/22/04 at 10:23pm

There are also some photos on www.filmmagic.com

Posted: 7/22/04 at 10:26pm

there are pictures on gettyimages too. Dont ask me what Matts doing with his leg in the air!?

I will definitely give a recap of the show when I see it but my trip isnt until August 16th! Plus I have a bad habit of only watching Matt when hes on a stage, so I dont know how good of a review I can write. I will try.

Posted: 7/22/04 at 10:37pm

those people at FilmMagic should ask people who they are if theyre that clueless... I think I knew all but one person listed as 'guest'

[Phantom2]

Posted: 7/22/04 at 11:14pm

Matt's hips were on fire on Broadway so there's no doubt he's dancing up a storm in LA. I'm sure Matt and Marissa are absolutely wonderful. They have amazing chemistry.

Updated On: 7/22/04 at 11:14 PM

[Matt_G]

Posted: 7/22/04 at 11:16pm

Matt was by far the hottest Phantom ever! Anyone who's ever seen the boy in fishnets knows what I'm talkin' about!

Posted: 7/22/04 at 11:18pm

lmao. he looked pretty good in a dress too.