'Hairspray': Tracy Turnblad comes to the Derby Dinner Playhouse
The musical Hairspray, based on John Waters’ 1988 warm-hearted movie satire, returns to Louisville at the Derby Dinner Playhouse. Performances run from April 6 to May 23.
Hairspray the musical continues to run on Broadway. As in the original 1988 movie, which made Ricki Lake a star, and the 2007 movie remake, Derby Dinner’s stage musical-comedy version follows the adventures in 1962 Baltimore of Tracy Turnblad, a talented dancer whose body and hair are as big as her heart.
The plus-sized Tracy’s heart’s desire is to dance on The Corny Collins Show, a local dance program based on Baltimore’s real-life Buddy Deane Show. When she achieves her dream, Tracy turns her attention to desegregating The Corny Collins Show. Will Tracy overcome prejudice and usher in social justice in television land?
Musical Theatre Louisville's production of Hairspray contains the same hits that made the Tony Award-winning Broadway version a hit: the opening number, “Good Morning, Baltimore”; “You Can't Stop the Beat”; “Mama, I'm a Big Girl Now” and “Welcome to the ’60s.”
The Broadway version of Hairspray won eight Tony Awards after opening in 2002. Waters’ original film wasn't a musical. The 2007 movie, starring John Travolta in the role of Tracy Turnblad's irrepressible mother, Edna, is a filmed version of the Broadway musical.
Hairspray the musical has international appeal: It's been performed in the United Kingdom, South Africa, Canada, Finland, Japan, South Korea, Italy, Switzerland, Brazil, Argentina, China and Sweden. A Dutch television production of the musical is slated to be broadcast soon.
Directed by Lee Buckholz, Hairspray will star Bill Theisen, Jill Sullivan, Cary Wiger, Chad Broskey and Melissa Combs.
Tickets cost $33 to $42, depending on day and time. Tickets are available online or by calling (812) 288–8281.
Posted by Ivonne Rovira
