My Way Overdue Hairspray Tour Review.

[BroadwayEnthusiast2]

Posted: 8/13/07 at 9:56pm

I saw the Hairspray national tour in February and March- I know, it was a VERY long time ago. However, I remember it like it was yesterday. Let me start off with the cast.

Brooklyn Pulver as Tracy is a real find. Her voice is a lot richer than some other Tracy's and it makes GMB and her other solos TREMENDOUS. She nailed all her lines superbly and made some lines that may not usually be funny VERY funny. She did an A+ job.

Jerry O'Boyle as Edna- I had mixed feelings about his performance. He played the role VERY feminine and not like most of the Broadway actors. It was a change. He sounded JUST like Divine. which I had mixed feelings about. I think the Edna in the musical should sound manly and look robust. He was very feminine and light-voiced-- he had trouble doing the low: "Excuse me." Most people were convinced he was a woman. During intermission, a girl said to her mom: "That's a man!" and her mom seemed pretty confuesed, if not a little peeved. So, most people were convinced it really was a woman. I think the only people who actually knew it was a man were the people familiar with the Broadway show.

Alyssa Malgeri as Penny STOLE the show. She stole every lscene she was in, especially MBC. She was hilarious and sang beautifully and was a great dancer. I cannot say enough about this girl- she's really sweet in person, too. She had great chemistry with Brooklyn and definitely did her own thing. She was everyone's favorite and got a ROAR after each line.

Dan Ferretti as Wilbur was very different than a lot of other actors who play Wilbur. He was very funny, but it seemed that something just wasn't quite right. I don't know if he just seemed too young to me or what... This may sound crazy, but I didn't like how well he sang. He sang very, very well. However, he was singing tenor AND Jerry O' Boyle was also singing tenor. It made Timeless a little too melodic, without that oomph you get from hearing Harvey and Dick.

Christian White as Seaweed was unbelievable. His dancing was superb and he was so energetic. His singing was amazing and her didn't miss a note. He was amazing with Allysa and they had chemistry like no others.

Constantine Rousouli as Link Larkin made just about every girl in the theatre gasp and faint whenever he entered. His rendition of It Takes Two was soft yet solid. The only thing that was a bit of a bother was his New Jersey accent. I don't know if he was trying to cover it up sometimes or not, but something wasn't quite right with his accent and the delivery of the lines.

Yvette Clark made a great Motormouth. Even though some of her lines were slurred, her timing and singing made up for it. She had an infectious, rich, and powerful voice, which made IKWIB bring a tear to so many eyes. In Wilmington, at the end of IKWIB, her head fell downwards and she started crying. This didn't happen in Concord, however. She is a very short Motormouth, probably only 5'4. She was sassy, brassy, and classy at the stage door- singing along to BB&B playing in the background.

Happy McPartlin.... is not my favorite... She had some of the worst comedic timing I have ever witnessed. After most of her lines that were supposed to be funny, there was sometimes an awkward silence. Her singing was good, but she did not have a strong belt at the end of MBC nor did she at the end of Velma's Revenge.

Pearl Thomas. I hated her in this role. She did not have a strong voice at all and she made my ears bleed dduring Cooties. She was incredibly annoying, not to mention a total brat.

Jarret Mallon is so-so in the role of Corny. He tries to be hip and cool, but is often held back. His Texan accent gets in the way a lot, especially during NKIT. Yes, his accent is even valid in his singing. He has a strong voice, but I found his accent out of place and a bit annoying.

Now onto the show...
This was the most fun I have ever had at the theatre! I know the tour isn't going on for much longer, but DEFINITELY see it if you have the chance. The energy is infectious and the cast keeps it fresh. There were a couple differences between Concord and Wilmington. Concord was a one-night-stand, so there was no raised Turnblad living room nor was there the sillhouettes in GMB and W/ out Love. All the sets in WIllmington were the same as on Broadway, including having most set pieces attatched to wires (that production crew must be BUSY.) Also, one of The Dynamites seemed like she was never on. Both times I saw it there was an understudy for her. In Concord, the understudy was a male! I think he was the guy playing Duane. This was a real treat and allowed for a nice harmony in Welcome to the 60s.

I had a GREAT time and I hope some of you also had the oppurtunity to see the tour or will see it!

If anyone wants anything more specific, just ask!

[purpleprince101]

Posted: 8/13/07 at 10:10pm

Alyssa was amazing! She was my favorite part when i saw it last year

[ClumsyDude15]

Posted: 8/13/07 at 10:18pm

"She was incredibly annoying, not to mention a total brat. "

Isnt that what Amber is suppose to be?

[BroadwayEnthusiast2]

Posted: 8/13/07 at 10:21pm

Not when it means ruining every song she's in and having that same personality even when she's not acting as Amber on the stage.

[JustChillin8908]

Posted: 8/13/07 at 10:30pm

When I saw the tour the audience didn't know how to react after Cooties. Some clapped, but most remained silent (she was horrible).

[Dolly_Levi]

Posted: 8/13/07 at 10:34pm

The tour is currently booked through Spring 2008.

[BroadwayEnthusiast2]

Posted: 8/13/07 at 10:35pm

I know. Also, at both performances, My friends and I were just about the only ones to laugh after "Livin' in the ghetto black is everywhere you go." Only a few other people laughed- it was weird.