Review: HAIRSPRAY at Music Theatre Wichita At Century II Concert Hall
Closed August 23, 2026
Hairspray at Music Theatre Wichita, which closed this past Sunday, was full of energy, and a delight for the eyes and ears! The curtain call had the audience on their feet!
Hairspray, which began its life as an underground movie in 1988 by John Waters, is now a popular musical with music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Shaiman and Scott Wittman, and a book by Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan. It won eight Tony Awards, including one for Best Musical. The story follows the life of Tracy Turnblad, a plus-size Baltimore teen in 1962 who dreams of dancing on the local TV dance program, the Corny Collins Show. On her journey, she befriends black teenagers in Baltimore and becomes increasingly aware of the segregation built into the Corny Collins show. As those friendships deepen, she joins them in challenging the segregation of the Corny Collins show. Tracy also refuses to let prejudice about her size determine where she belongs or what she can accomplish. These themes are particularly timely today, when anyone who is different can be ostracized by the majority.
Director/Choreographer Diedre Goodwin keeps the proceedings family friendly. The show really moves, starting out with a hometown, happy vibe, and builds to a raucous, joyous freight train of an ending that jolts you out of your seat and onto your feet. Music Director Thomas W. Douglas once again molds all those strong voices into one wall of sound. The 15 piece band was nice and tight. J. Branson’s cartoon-like forced prospective sets were simple and colorful, as were the beautiful costume designs by Tiia E. Torchia. Wichita native Joshua Harris designed the most outrageous wigs for this production, some of them clocking in at least 3-4 feet tall! Welcome to the 60’s! Lighting Designer Maranda DeBusk compliments the whole proceeding with some creatively gorgeous color saturated scenes.
There was an incredible amount of local talent featured onstage, along with upcoming MT students and Broadway veterans. Local favorites John Keckeisen and Shannon McMillan, played the authority figures with sublime humour. Keckeisen’s Spritzer sported the best bad hair I’ve ever seen, replete with a perfect deer in the headlights reaction when interviewed on live TV, and a notably fun Mr. Pinky in Welcome to the 60s. McMillan shines as the uptight and neurotic Prudy Pingleton, as she deals out less than gentle parenting to her checkerboard chick daughter, Penny. McMillan also plays the hot cop Matron, giving a sizzling scat at the conclusion of The Big Dollhouse.
KWCH Newscaster Max Dutton plays it squeaky clean as Corny Collins, the host of his eponymous TV Dance show. Dutton shows off his clear voiced tenor as well as his polished TV persona in Nicest Kids in Town. Injoy Fountain, a former contestant on The Voice, and owner of Injoy Fountain Academy, portrays Motormouth Maybelle, mother to Seaweed and Little Inez, a Baltimore DJ and record shop owner, where many of Baltimore’s black teenagers gather. Maybelle also hosts what the musical calls “Negro Day,” which the Corny Collins show calls the segregated monthly showcase for black dancers. Fountain brings the house down in the 11th hour with her powerful rendition of I Know Where I’ve Been, a testament to the pain, strength, and perseverance of the black struggle for Civil Rights and desegregation, and reminds us about the struggles all minorities continue to face in our country today. Truly a powerhouse.
Seaweed J. Stubbs is played by Chase Ra’Mel Phillips, a rising MT Junior at University of Michigan. Phillips’ fine voice gives Seaweed a warm, thoughtful demeanor, with a laid back style reminiscent of Al Green. In stark contrast, his sister, Little Inez, portrayed by Gabi Bradley, an incoming MT Junior at University of Michigan, is a real spitfire, and torches us with her energy in Run and Tell That. Natasha Rodriguez, a rising MT Senior, plays Penny Pingleton, Prudy’s daughter, tortured by her mother’s unreasonable requests, and hopelessly overcome by Seaweed. Rodriguez’ slowburn from the dorky friend of Tracy to the intense confidence of a girl who knows what she wants is palpable, and a fine contrast to Seaweed’s gentle ways.
Sophia Macaluso, a recent University of Oklahoma grad, plays the obnoxiously self absorbed Amber Von Tussle, the reigning Queen of the Council on The Corny Collins Show. Amber’s working hard to keep Tracy from stealing her boyfriend, Link, and her title on the show. Macaluso’s vocals in Cooties are bright and pitch perfect, and pure fun. Of course, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Velma Von Tussle, Amber’s mom, who grows ever deliciously evil over the course of the show, is played by Broadway Veteran Michelle Dawson. Dawson’s voice soars through Miss Baltimore Crabs as Velma recounts her beauty queen salad days, executing a very cool dress change mid song
Amber and Tracy’s love interest, Link Larkin, a guitar slinger and singer looking for his big break into show biz, comes off as the most affable, likable kid in town in the hands of Nick Gundrum, who recently graduated from CCM with a BFA in Musical Theatre. Gundrum has a great pop voice with a nice falsetto, and uses it to great effect in It Takes Two. Link’s affability is a nice contrast to Tracy’s high energy vibes.
David Lowenstein. What can I say? In 2024 he gave us an incredibly powerful performance as the menacing Trunchbull in Matilda. This year he creates for us the sensitive yet strong Edna Turnblad. Lowenstein’s journey as a harried working mom supporting her daughter Tracy’s dreams is one of the best told stories in this show. From Edna’s delight in discovering herself in Welcome to the 60s, floating in a sea of Schiaparelli pink, to standing by her husband, Wilbur, played by Broadway Veteran Eddie Korbich, as he celebrates her in Timeless To Me, Lowenstein tells us a beautiful story about a life well lived. Lowenstein and Korbich are brilliant together, gently playing off each other in the most wonderful way, harkening back to old school song and dance, playing with an ease rarely seen these days. Korbich’s gruff but lovable Wilbur, with his flashy jackets and magic, is the perfect foil for Lowenstein’s frilly polka dot dress wearing Edna.
Niki Metcalf played the role of Tracy Turnblad on the National Tour of Hairspray, and she does a phenomenal job reprising the role here at MTW. Metcalf’s Tracy is cute, sometimes silly, and never slick. She’s earnest, proactive, and her her choices are so genuine. Metcalf has a clear belt that’s never strained or tired, and from the moment she starts singing Good Morning Baltimore, you know you’re in good hands.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the strong ensemble. Shoutouts to WSU Graduate Sophia Hillman for serving as Assistant Choreographer, and Noah Sickman, an MTYP Alumni, and now a rising senior at Temple University, for his killer acrobatic moves in You Can’t Stop the Beat. Kudos also to the fabulous Dynamites Olivia Allen (Penn State), Rayna J. (Rider U), and Edin Kebede (CCM) for sounding so amazing in their feature segment of Welcome to the 60s.
By the time the ensemble was finished with You Can’t Stop the Beat, the audience was on it’s feet. Congratulations to the team at MTW for putting together such a fine show. Thank you!
What’s up next for MTW? Les Misérables, which run September 9 to 14, 2026, featuring Chris Mann as Jean Valjean, Andrew Marks Maughan as Javert, and Mary Kate Moore as Fantine. Purchase tickets at mtwichita.org
Photo courtesy Kacy Meineke
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