On April 22nd, 2017 at 7pm, Eisenhower High School presented Hairspray, the musical, cast and directed by Serena Kledzik, the theatre teacher there and former actress apearing in The Princess Diaries 2, Dear God and Raising Helen. Originally a movie written and directed by John Waters in 1988, it was adapted into a musical by Marc Sharman, Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan that opened on Broadway in 2002 and has been popular ever since. Hairspray is set in the 1960's in Baltimore and is about a young teens journey to integrate a popular T.V show called "The Corny Collins Show". Having never seen the musical or movie and knowing nothing about the plot other than that it dealt with race and integration, I found this production pretty easy to …show more content…
Because I have worked alongside most of the actors in the show, I know what their personalities are when they are not acting. Based off what I know of the actors, the casting was very well done. For example, Link Larkin, played by Angel Valesquez, is a primpy but down to earth character who says what he means and means what he says. The actor, Angel, is the same way in reality. The entire cast was energetc and enthuseastic, really imbodying their character, with the exception of a few members of the Ensemble, who seemed to be new to theatre and not entirely sure who they wanted their character to be. Dialogue was wel presented for the most part, but there were a decent amount of stumbles that were obvious to the audience. At one point, Corny Collins, played by Edwardo Solorio, stumbled, stopped, said sorry, then tried again rather than pushing through and making it work. The vocals were great, especially on solos. A few duets/trios were slightly pitchy such as "Mama, I'm a Big Girl Now", but sounded it fine once they locked in. The band did a wonderful job, they did not overpower the actors or make any noticable
Overall, the actors chosen to play each role were well picked. All of them portrayed the role they were supposed to very well. In particular, I think the best two were Ruby Archuleta and Ladd Devine. Ruby is a strong character in general, with obvious weaknesses, like her stubbornness in what may not have been the best times to be stubborn, making her well rounded. Ladd Devine is a good ‘villain’.
The actresses and actors all seem to have an unimaginable sense of chemistry. My head knew they nothing more than castmates but my eyes saw that they had been working together for months and had created a true life bond. This was really shown when Violet, Doralee, and Judy ban together to kidnap Frank, in order to create a more pleasant work
It’s 1962 and an overweight teenager, Tracy Turnblad and her best friend, Penny Pingleton are obsessed with the dance TV show Corny Collins. One of the regulars leaves the show leaving a space to be filled. Tracy’s dream has always been to be on the show. With the help of her new black friend Seaweed, she manages to get casted for the show, angering the star, Amber Von Tussle and her mother the station manager, Velma. Tracy is not the typical white teen that believes in segregation and wants to see the Corny Collins show integrated. She sets out to do just that all the while winning the love of heartthrob Link, while having a laugh or two and singing a couple tunes.
One of its numerous strengths was the costuming and set. This musical would not have been the same had these elements not come together to transport the viewer. In addition to the costuming and the set, the actors were very well cast. Each actor was in a role that fit them and they portrayed their characters very well. For example, the man who played Glen really seemed like a greedy Wall Street worker. The choreography was also well done. It fit true to the style of dance in the 1980s and added to the immersion experience. The only thing that could have made this experience better would be to add more music. This may just be a personal preference, but when I see a musical I like for the music to be central like it is in Hamilton or Les Miserables. However, this musical was very good and not much could be added to enhance the
The sound design and choreography intensified the overall musical. They created the time, place, and mood through rhythm and great energy. The actors had wireless, behind the ear mikes, that attached to the mike pack which amplified the sound, making it very clear. I could easily understand what they were talking about or singing.
In conclusion, the acting in the production was very good. I was held captivated by the accents and shocked by the language and dialect because I knew that this really happens and has happened. I felt like I could actually change what was happening on stage. For Instance, when the rumble is happening and Bernardo and Riff bring out the switchblades, I gasped. Silently to myself, I said "DON'T DO THIS. THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A CLEAN FAIR FIGHT. YOU GUYS ARE MORE SIMILAR THAN YOU ARE DIFFERENT, JUST BEING FRIENDS." The same occurrence happened when Anita is assaulted by the Jets when attempting to find Tony to save him. I understood her feelings and wanted the Jets to get in trouble for their actions. I became invested in what happened to the
For a college production, the acting was outstanding. I really felt the emotions. The lead Wendla, who was played by KyLeigh Zimmerer, was amazing. I have also seen bits and pieces of the Broadway version which starred Lea Michelle, and obviously if I were to compare the acting, the Broadway version would be victorious. However, for a college production, these actors have limited past experience, but their acting was professional. Also, when they sang the song "Those You've Known," I felt chills and had goose bumps because that was such an emotional song. You could feel all the emotions and guilt Melchior, played by Ryan Ramirez, was feeling because both his best friend, Moritz, played by Justin Noblitt, and the girl he impregnated, Wendla, died and he believed he was to blame. Moritz committed suicide while Wendla died from a botch abortion her mom for...
I could see how Harold Hill’s tactic changed from something along the lines of ‘to deceive’ to ‘to woo’ around the song “The sadder but wiser girl”. Marian Paroo’s tactic also changes from ‘to avoid’ to ‘to love’ around “My white Knight”. These actors also projected extremely well, as I could hear everything being said. They articulated well too, which I believe must be hard for them as every character had a southern accent. The actors easily incorporated their character’s goals into their acting and onstage
Hairspray, a John Waters’ musical, demonstrates progressive messages about the expansion of race-based civil rights in the 1960s . Although this is typically the lens through which Hairspray is viewed, this is not the only significant societal shift portrayed in the film. The stories of Edna Turnblad and Velma Von Tussle illustrate the progressive shift of women from “old” gender roles such as being excluded from the workplace to “new” gender roles where women begin taking managerial positions.
Their acting chops were very impressive whether it was comedic, emotional, or just stunning overall. Yet, on the other hand, some minor characters weren’t as well heard as others. I feel as the play could be better if some of the minor characters had projected their voice more, allowing their character to be known. However, although some voices were much stronger than others, all actors were full of talent, capable of dealing with script’s requirements, and did a good job
As far as acting, the performers were able to convey the feelings they needed to. However, some characters such as Ol' Cap'n played by Dick Lambert and Luttibelle played by April Curry, seemed more committed and engaging in their roles than others. A crucial factor in April Curry portraying her role so well was her vocal talent far exceeded that of any of the other major performers. She had an amazing voice that I was dazzled by from curtain up to down and left me craving for more. This almost compensated for my disappointment when it came to the ensemble singing to the soundtrack. Many performers were dependent on the cd and were not confident as to when to begin or stop singing, which dampered many moments of the performers. Another element of acting that I enjoyed was the exaggerated use of cooning throughout the duration of the performance that brought characters to life, and enabled certain moments to seem real.
Racial tension is and always has been an ongoing problem in American society. While Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation ended slavery, it failed to grant racial equality. The movie Hairspray shows what it was like to live in the 1960s, where this tension was at its peak. In this film, released in 1988 and directed by John Waters, segregation is a prominent factor that a young girl, named Tracy Turnblad, is determined to end. Time and time again books and films are being made that portray the events of the past that seems true, whether it happened in real life or not; Hairspray being one of them.
When it came to the dialogue of the production and the understanding of it the performers again did an excellent job. Their gestures and vocal elements all aided in the production’s success and were all fittingly used by the characters. For example, when Lala was talking on the phone with Peachy she casually twirled the phone cord in her hand, leaned against the banister and childishly flirted with Peachy.
Tori Gresham also had a wonder voice that was enjoyable to listen to throughout the performance. I thought that the sound was just perfect. I was clearly able to hear, and understand each character thought the entire performance. Each character sang very well, and performed every performance to its fullest potential. There was not one character that disappointed me.
Besides the fact that I didn't like this play, the actors did do a pretty good job with their acting and memorization of their lines. Couple times Marisol hesitated with her lines but it wasn't too bad. I like the accents they were using. It wasn't to hard to understand what they were saying, but once again there were those times when their accents did effect a little on their pronunciations and my understanding on what they were saying. Overall, I don't think they were too believable with their characters. They didn't reach me.