Hairspray Holds Strong in L.A. Return

Having seen the show a number of times, both in New York and in its first LA run, I thought the best thing to do for the return engagement was to send someone who had never seen the show, and could judge the show with fresh eyes. So the following review is from Deputy Editor, Hayley Babcock...

At a time when the current state of Broadway musicals is in near crisis, "Hairspray" seems to have figured out a magic recipe that gives you everything you would want in a show. Wonderful music that you can't keep out of your head, subversive and hysterical lyrics that leave a smile on your face, a candy confection-like set that is as cheery as the lead character, Tracy Turnblad.

For those who have never send the show, or are unfamiliar with the John Waters movie of the same name, the show tells the tale of Tracy Turnblad, a well proportioned teen, who dreams of landing a coveted role as a dancer on "The Corny Collins Show." Despite the attempts of the show's producer and her daughter to keep her as far away from their set as possible, Tracy bowls over the competition, and is hand-picked by Corny to join the show. In the process, however, she breaks down racial barriers that bar black dancers from appearing on TV with the white kids and she steals the heart of the show's hunk, Link Larkin.

Keala Settle has the tough job of bringing Tracy to life, and does so with gusto and aplomb. Her voice is well suited to the role, but her dancing and acting were sometimes a tad manic, ever the eager to please.

JP Doherty, meanwhile, does an incredible job bringing the over-the-top character of Edna Turnblad, Tracy's mother, to life. Doherty creates an indomitable presence on stage, demanding your attention whenever he is in front of the footlights (and rightly so!)

The stand-outs in this cast, however, are Hayley Podschun as 'Penny' and her forbidden love, Alan Mingo, Jr. as 'Seaweed.' Granted, these two roles are some of the best written supporting characters an actor could ask for, but Hayley and Alan didn't just play their characters, they truly lived and loved them. Judging from the applause on opening night, the crowd did too!

As for the technical credits, David Rockwell's set retains all the charm it did on the Broadway stage, and fills the theatre with a rainbow of color. The sound, however, had a tough time in the cavernous Pantages theatre, with many of the ensemble numbers coming across as muddled.

"Hairspray" is now playing, through June 4th, 2006, at the Pantages Theatres, 6233 Hollywood Blvd. Hollywood, CA 90028. Performance schedule: Tue-Fri 8:00pm; Sat 2:00pm & 8:00pm; Sun 1:00pm & 6:30pm. For tickets ($25.00-$68.00) call 213-365-3500 or 714-740-7878 or visit: www.broadwayLA.org.

Visit the show's website at www.hairsprayontour.com