HAIRSPRAY ATLANTIC CITY REVIEW

[TheatreGirl212]

Posted: 8/2/06 at 11:38am

Copyright Daily News, L.P. Jul 30, 2006
Hooray for "Hairspray!"

The Broadway musical about a big girl with big hair and even bigger dreams - she wants to dance her way to stardom on teen TV in the '60s - is a booming blast.

This new national tour opened last week at Harrah's. But even if you've seen it at the Neil Simon Theater (where it's still running), don't miss this Atlantic City version. It's actually a lot more fun. The cast is so full of energy, they could light up the Boardwalk all night long.

Trimmed by director Matt Lenz to a crisp 90 minutes, this "Hairspray" has more spunk and bounce than the 2003 Broadway Tony winner - yet it remains faithful to Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman's pop-rock score, and Tom Meehan and Mark O'Donnell's script. Danny James Austin's choreography will have audiences nearly out of their seats.

Leading lady Brooklynn Pulver may be short in stature, but she's a heavyweight performer with a brassy Broadway voice. As the unstoppable Tracy Turnblad - the high-school outcast obsessed with getting her 15 minutes of fame on Corny Collins' TV show - she dances with ease and skill.

The genius of "Hairspray," written by director John Waters as a
nonmusical movie in 1988, is that it delicately handles complex issues of race. Behind the music, the dancing, the jokes and the dazzling costumes is the clear message that we all must learn to get along with each other - and the best teachers might just turn out to be kids.

The play takes place at the start of the '60s in downtown Baltimore, where bouffants and bigotry set the scene. Blacks and whites stay in their own worlds, but neither has ever encountered the likes of Tracy.

She lives with her equally massive mama Edna, who makes a living
ironing clothes in her living room, while her thin-as-a-reed, flighty father, Wilbur, runs a not-so-flourishing joke business downstairs.

Unlike her daughter, Edna has little self-esteem. "I'm like a book of half-filled Green Stamps - beyond redemption," she proclaims. But as Tracy sings "Mama, I'm a Big Girl Now," Edna realizes that she has to give her daughter room to grow.

Eventually, Tracy sneaks onto the Corny Collins set, where she bumps into Link Larkin, a scrawny Elvis wanna-be who's coveted by practically every girl in town. But the chorus lets Tracy know that heavy gals need not apply.

Innocently, Tracy turns to the 'hood in the hope of landing a spot on Corny's once-a-month "Negro Night." Coaxed by the local matriarch, Motormouth Maybelle, who not only sings with intensity but talks in rhyme, Tracy finds new hope and new friends. By the end, everybody is singing and dancing together.

Constantine Rousouli is handsome and winning as Link. Alyssa Malgeri is goofy as Tracy's best friend, Penny, who falls in love with Motormouth's son Seaweed (the wonderful Christian White). Jerry O'Boyle(in the role created by Harvey Fierstein on Broadway) and Dan Ferretti are marvelous as Edna and Wilbur Turnblad, especially in the show-stopper "You're Timeless to
Me." Yvette Clark is amazing as Motormouth,va-vooming through "I Know Where I've Been" with infectious glee. But this is Pulver's moment - she's a larger-than-life performer in a cast that will rock your socks off.

Sun. at 3 & 8, Mon.-Tues. at 8, Wed. at 3 & 8, Thurs. at 8, Fri. at 9(no shows Sat.); $40-$60.

[jimnysf]

Posted: 8/2/06 at 11:44am

[Rentheadut]

Posted: 8/2/06 at 12:18pm

Brooklynn is one of my dear friends---she is AMAZING!!!!!!

Posted: 8/2/06 at 12:26pm

I REALLY wanna go see Hairspray in AC.

Does anybody ever take those bus day trips down? How much does it cost?

[NJgirl]

Posted: 8/2/06 at 12:47pm

Ones here cost (about an hour and a half or so away from AC where I live) about 25-30 bucks, Mistress...but you usually get part of that back in cash to spend in the casino if you're over 21. The last one I did cost $25 and I got $15 back in coin...so I really only paid 10 dollars to go down there.

Posted: 8/2/06 at 1:21pm

thanks- thats cool to get coins in return- which bus lines do that? I probably only need a one way trip, does that matter?

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 8/2/06 at 1:22pm

Can you post the cast list? Thanks.

[WeddedBliss22]

Posted: 8/2/06 at 1:26pm

I want to see this cast too, sounds like they are having a ball!

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 8/2/06 at 1:35pm

I was called back for Prudy/Gym Teacher/etc. and just want to know if anyone I auditioned with got it. That's my real motivation for the cast list! I wish I knew the names of the Tracys and Wilburs I spoke to at the audition, so I'd know if they were cast.

Are there pics we can see?

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 8/2/06 at 1:37pm

Sorry for asking (if this has already been asked), but does the tour have a website in order to find out what cities the show will be in?

[Producer2]

Posted: 8/2/06 at 1:37pm

Does the touring company perform the 90 minute show in Atlantic City only and then continue on the road with the unedited Broadway script or does this touring company only perform the 90 minute Las Vegas version? What about the other Hairspray tours?

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 8/2/06 at 1:39pm

The 90 minute version is for Atlantic City only, they will resume with the original version in subsequent cities.

There are no other tours of Hairspray. The equity version closed at the end of June.

[WeddedBliss22]

Posted: 8/2/06 at 1:39pm

Once it leaves AC it becomes the full version, it's now performing the Las Vegas cut one, there are no other tours out there anymore, just the Non-Eq. one. I hear it's great!

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 8/2/06 at 1:41pm

Weddedbliss: great minds think alike!!

[Bohoboy]

Posted: 8/2/06 at 1:42pm

Hairspray tour information can be found on:
www.broadwayacrossamerica.com

Click on "touring shows", select Hairspray and you can find the current tour's route. It's a fantastically talented cast.

Updated On: 8/2/06 at 01:42 PM

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 8/2/06 at 1:44pm

Thanks, bohoboy.

[Producer2]

Posted: 8/2/06 at 1:50pm

thank you! that must be confusing for the actors, musicians, dressers, scenery movers, lighters, etc. Updated On: 8/2/06 at 01:50 PM

Posted: 8/7/06 at 6:00pm

My friend Jerry, Edna, is awesome in the show! I also know a few others... I must say that the energy from their performance is phenominal!! And to be perfectly honest, they are 1,000 times better than the current cast of Hairspray on Broadway... Go Non-Equity tours!! The cast is also soo nice... I highly reccomend that you go see it.

Here's a cast list - sorry I don't know everyone's character; in Atlantic City, they don't give out programs

Cast (in alphabetical order):

Justin Barnette
Daniel Bentley
Jerry O'Boyle (Edna Turnblad)
Lauren Brown
Summer Broyhill
Vedra Chandler
Yvette Monique Clark
Daniel Ferretti
Dave Heard
Stephen Michael Kane
Amanda Lea Lavergne
Joel Maki
Alyssa Malgeri
Jarret Mallon
Happy McPartlin
Jarran Muse
Ryan Overberg
Brooklynn Pulver
Tiiu Eva Rebane
David Rossetti
Constantine Rousouli
Nathan Osanka (Dance Captain)
Nikki Stephenson
Brooke Stone
Lauren Tartaglia
Pearl Thomas
Melissa Vanpelt
Laurie Veldheer
Christian White

Stage Manager:
Keri Lynch

Conductor:
Jeremy Randall

:)

*Paul A. Winkler
actor.singer.dancer
The Unoffical Fan site of the Hairspray tour (from Jerry O'Boyle)

[Luckydave14]

Posted: 8/7/06 at 6:20pm

Constantine was one of the finalists of the first Wicked singing contest at Stew Leonards in NY.

[Here_I_Go_Again]

Posted: 8/7/06 at 6:53pm

PIX from the SHOW!!!! just found the link!!!!
http://www.jerspray.com/index.html

[sidneybruhl]

Posted: 8/7/06 at 7:15pm

The show is scheduled to play both Lexington, KY and Paducah, KY this season. Saw the equity cast in Louisville, KY, but still hope to catch the show again.

[Yankgrl46]

Posted: 8/7/06 at 8:24pm

I saw it for free last week in Atlantic City. I honestly enjoyed this version/cast more than the Broadway Cast I saw a couple of years ago. If you get a chance, definitely go!!!!!!!!!!

[BtMartin25]

Posted: 8/7/06 at 9:15pm

YEAAH for Laurie Veldheer (Brenda, Penny u/s) -- she's gonna go places! :)

http://hairsprayontour.com/