By Carol Davis
VISTA, California—It matters not that just last year, The San Diego Repertory Theatre in conjunction with San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts mounted an excellent and lively rendition of the Mark O’Donnell, Thomas Meehan (book), Mark Shaiman (music) and Scott Wittman/Mark Shaiman (lyrics) 2003 Tony Award winning Broadway hit (directed by Jack O’Brien) Hairspray!
Some things like vintage wine wear well and it doesn’t hurt that the musical based on the 1988 cult film —Oh yes! of the same name, was written and directed by John Walters of Cry Baby fame and collaborated with both Meehan and O’Donnell (their first since Hairspray).
“If it ‘ain’t broken, don’t fix it” or just keep on truckin’ with what works. Cry Baby takes place in the 50’s and Hairspray jettisons out of the 50’s and heads into the ‘new world’ of the 60’s where we hook up with the larger than life Tracy Turnbald (Kim Zolozabal is a fine Tracy but lacks the powerful chops heard in other productions) whose only goal, at the moment is to dance on the ‘Corny Collins Show’
Broadcast dance shows were big in the 60’s and in Baltimore the ‘Corny Collins Show’ was bigger than life. That’s why Tracy wanted to try out to be a regular on the local dance program after one of the girls left it (for 9 months) for an unexpected vacation. When Tracy finally becomes a regular (overcoming way too many obstacles to mention) she becomes an overnight teen celebrity to some but a pain in the butt to the powers that be who did not want her on the show. They thought her too BIG (in size), too loud, too cozy with the African American community and too dumb to be a part of ‘their world’
Big gal makes good is at the crux of Hairspray but one of the most important social upheavals of the century, integration, was about to happen right in front of our eyes and it all takes place (a la Hollywood and Broadway) in the uplifting and bouncy production of Moonlight’s Hairspray. Also it isn’t every day that the big, lets say generously endowed local gal with a two tone bouffant, teased to the hilt becomes the star of the show. Further, against all odds she falls for and gets the catch of the century, Link Larkin (Neil Starkenberg is just right as the teen idol) and wins the approval of her hometown community.
Most of the fun in Hairspray though is in watching the chemistry between Tracy’s mother Edna (hometown favorite Randall Hickman in absolute hysterical drag and perfectly suited to Edna’s personality) and her father Wilber, (Doug Davis is the antithesis of Edna, hit a hoot) who is about one third the size of Edna, as they help her weave through some of the thorny issues about her size, her drive to be on the show, to integrate it and to fulfill her dreams. Their scenes together are really the showstoppers and when they perform the lovely “You’re Timeless To Me” that brings the house down, it makes the heart throb and the tears well.
The young and extremely energetic cast (hats off to director Steven Glaudini and choreographer John Vaughn) that shake the house up with such lively numbers as “Welcome to the 60’s”, “Good Morning Baltimore”, “You Can’t Stop The Beat”, “Hairspray”, “Without Love” “Mama I’m a Big Girl Now”. “Tight Hold”, and of course “You’re Timeless To Me” are to be given high grades. They ROCK!
Moonlight’s talent also includes David Engel as the smooth M.C. Corny Collins; Nathan Riley’s Seaweed J. Stubbs (a excellent dancer with voice to match) is the handsome boyfriend of color to Tracy’s loony best friend Penny (Kristin Lamoureux). This over the objections of Penny’s bigoted mother Prudy (Sandy Campbell having a blast in her multiple rolls) was another prime example of the not so pretty racism that came out then and is still rearing it’s ugly head today. The audience felt it as well as when the ‘Corny Collins’ show was fully integrated, the folks in back of me were cheering and clapping.
Tracy Lore is Velma Von Tussle, the in charge person who gets to make all the decisions about who is in and who is out of the dance show. She’s another bigoted dragonfly who does her best (and she is good at it) to keep the show white bread lily white and without Tracy. She gets her point across in “Velma’s Revenge” and “(The Legend of) Miss Baltimore Crab”. In contrast, Jeannie Robinson is terrific as Motormouth Maybell the owner of a Black record shop/hangout belting out “Big Blonde and Beautiful” and “I know Where I’ve Been”.
Credit Byron J. Batista for the incredible wigs: we’re talkin’ Afro, Beehive, Pompadour, Perm, Pig Tails, Skunking and teasing. Three costumers Carlotta Malone, Roslyn Lehman and Renetta Lloyd coordinated the 60’s look and while no credit for set design could be found in the program credits, it is colorful and cleverly set up to highlight every number. Musical director and conductor, Elan McMahan kept the beat up all night long making this one jazzy and jivin’ evening of fun out of doors and out of hearing range from the sound of jets. But do bring something warm to wear or to cover up!
See you at the theatre.
Dates: through Sept. 3rd
Organization: Moonlight Stage Productions
Phone: 760-724-2110
Production Type: Musical
Where: Brengle Terrace Park, 1200 Vale Terrace Drive, Vista, CA, 92084
Ticket Prices: $22.00-$50.00
Web: moonlightstage.com
Venue: Moonlight Stage
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Davis is a San Diego-based theatre critic. She may be contacted at carol.davis@sdjewishworld.com