HAIRSPRAY

(Pic by Ashley Bricknell: Kirsten Dey who plays Tracy Turnblad)

Overweight optimism features in Rainbow Young Performers Project 2010

The fun iconic musical Hairspray is the tenth annual Rainbow Young Performers Project which opens at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre on July 2. This production follows the last successful Young Performers musicals: Curtain Up, One Voice, Grease, Oliver, Fiddler on the Roof, The Wiz, Annie, School of Rock SA and Big River last year.

Hairspray was a cult classic 1988 comedy film which showcased outrageous drag artiste Divine and which was revived in 2007 with a new film version starring John Travolta; Zac Ephron; Michelle Pfeiffer, Queen Latifah and Christopher Walken. It was adapted into a stage musical in 2002 which won eight Tony awards including Best Musical in 2003.

The creative team on the Rainbow Young Performers Project’s Hairspray includes Themi Venturas and Charon Williams Ros. It is supported by Rainbow and co-presented by Performing Arts Network of SA (PANSA), the civic umbrella body for performing artists nationally.

Set in the early 60’s, it tells the story of Tracy Turnblad in Maryland USA and her dreams of stardom and her defiance of racial segregation. The coveted role of Edna Turnblad, is being played by Peter Court in a role made famous by Divine and more recently by John Travolta. Her outspoken, optimistic, overweight daughter Tracy is being played by Kirsten Dey, who played the title role in Annie in 2007. Tracy’s naïve insistence not to support racial bigotry and her love of dance is the story’s catalyst.

One of the distinctive features about Hairspray is the dramatic larger than life hair-dos and bee-hives which the cast will be sporting for the show

Hairspray runs at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre from July 2 to 18. Booking is at Computicket.