Hairspray Opening Night (VEGAS)

[caflyboy]

Posted: 2/16/06 at 1:44pm

Ok, so I PROMISE I will write a full review as soon as I get some sleep! It was AMAZING! Smooth, full of energy, the cuts they made are soo seamless, and the cast.... Let's just say, if I knew that I was expendable (on tour or in NYC) I'd be VERY worried! Talented is a serious understatement to describe them!

but off to bed for me, I'll link up the pics from the party and a full review in a few hours! :)
rock
justin

[caflyboy]

Posted: 2/16/06 at 3:48pm

Ok, cast list: (aside from Harvey and Dick)
Katrina Dideriksen-Tracy; Susan Anton-Velma; Carla Duren-Little Inez; Fran Jaye-Motormouth; Terry Lavell-Seaweed; Katharine Leonard-Amber; Austin Miller-Link; Susan Mosher-Prudy; Ed Romanoff-Principle/Mr. Pinky; Chandra Lee Schwartz-Penny; Kevin Spirtas-Corny.

The whole cast top to bottom are amazing! One of the Dynamos sounded sick, but everyone else was on the mark with that said...

Sets seem the same, the choreograpy is the same for the opening, the orchestra is located upstage behind the giant wall of lights (they make a cameo during "you cant stop the beat). Some of the choreography was changed for "Nicest Kids..."
Everything was copacetic for "Mama, and I can hear..."
Since "Baltimore crabs" was cut, they ask Tracy 4 questions (rom the song) and then Velma asks "would you swim...?" THEN Tracy answers all of them... The costumes were pretty much the same, BUT Edna's dress at the end of the show is now PINK with colored lines running around the whole dress (no specific pattern, just lots of blue, yellow, green, etc on a very PINK dress)!
After the "riot" the lights go down, then come up with the phone ringing and Edna on the phone with Mr. Pinky. Then it segues into "Timeless To Me." Some new lyrics towards the end (lots of Jewish jokes thrown in) THEN we finally get to "Without Love" by far, way funnier with this cast. I don't know why, could be that there timing with the lyrics and such are amazing.
"I Know Where.." and "Hairspray" are the same...

"You Can't..." Jesus H.Christ this was so intense to watch and I'm sure those that saw this cast in previews can attest, by far the most involved and in your face production number!!!!
LOTS of choreographic changes due to stage size and set pieces, Tracy and the entire cast sing through the song and finish it. Velma asks "if fattie came through the front door, and you're here, what the hell is in the can?" That's when they pop it open and out comes Edna! They restart the song from Edna's entrance then at the part when they get the Von Tussle's to "shake your fanny muscles" The back light wall breaks open, and the orchestra comes riding down stage with Amber and Velma sitting in these two gorgeous red seats! The cast finishes the song, and then they take there bows! They form a company front and then Tracy says "oh lord *breathes really heavily, almost laughing at this point* EVERYBODY GET UP AND DANCE!" They reprise the song, and that was the end!

Afterwards we all headed over to one of the ballrooms for the opening night party! Great food, free alcohol (always a plus in my book!) and lots of photos and mingling. Mel Brooks was there, totally almost ran him over while walking around! Got to meet a lot of cool people, Harvey made a quick appearance and then left. When I finally left the party at 1 am, it was still going! I posted some pics up... go to the link and click on Theatre....
if you have anything specific questions just ask, my brain is still jumbled from last night,,,
peace
j

[caflyboy]

Posted: 2/16/06 at 3:50pm

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/kaanoi_79/my_photos
click on the "theater" album
Updated On: 2/16/06 at 03:50 PM

[TheQuibbler]

Posted: 2/16/06 at 4:16pm

Sounds great!!

[wonderwaiter]

Posted: 2/16/06 at 4:26pm

At what point in the finale does the place explode with the "Tracy" confetti? A friend of mine who saw it in previews sent me a Hairspray can and playbill, and when I opened the playbill, a ton of little Tracy heads fell out onto the carpet. I'm still vacuuming her up.

[bwayondabrain]

Posted: 2/16/06 at 4:35pm

sounds fun!!!! any official (critics') reviews out yet? but very nice review, and great pictures!

i really hope this does well in vegas...

[JustChillin8908]

Posted: 2/16/06 at 5:46pm

I wanna see it so bad now... only ten more months until I get to go to Las Vegas again (sadly much longer before I will EVER get to go to New York).

I finally decided to buy the album and I love it (especially "You Can't Stop the Beat") these next ten months are going to be torture!

By the way I know this has proabably been posted a million times but what were the exact songs that were removed/changed?

[Phantom2]

Posted: 2/16/06 at 6:30pm

Great pictures!!

[caflyboy]

Posted: 2/16/06 at 7:10pm

The confetti and streamers explode over the main floor seats at the last beat of "you cant stop the beat"
as for cut songs:
*Big Dollhouse
*Cooties
*Good morning baltimore -reprise
*one verse in "It Takes Two"
*Miss Baltimore Crabs

[JustChillin8908]

Posted: 2/16/06 at 7:11pm

wow that's a lot of songs. I'm sad Cooties and Big Dollhouse were cut

[Amneris]

Posted: 2/16/06 at 7:39pm

can someone be kind enough to post the full ENSEMBLE cast list? thanks so much

[QMAN03]

Posted: 2/16/06 at 8:13pm

I'M SEEING IT IN TWO DAYS!!!!!

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 2/16/06 at 9:36pm

How does Harvey look now that he's lost so much weight? I know there's a fat suit, but I can imagine his face looks so much thinner, and I'm sure he can do much more choreography. Also, how does he sound after the Fiddler training?

[YankeeGal#24]

Posted: 2/16/06 at 9:52pm

This was great--thanks for posting the pics and review!

[caflyboy]

Posted: 2/16/06 at 11:07pm

jacqui arnold (lorraine; u/s motormouth/dynamite), bradley benjamin (tammy, u/s penny/amber), dwayne cooper (duane), wes coulter (IQ), nick dalton (Fender u/s link/corny), marcie dodd (louann, u/s amber), gabrielle hatchett (asst dance cpt; swing; u/s little inez/dynamite), dale hensley (edna/wilbur standby; u/s principal/mr pinkie), van hughes (sketch; u/s link), michael e lee (swing), lori eve marinacci (shelley; u/s tracy), kamilah martin (dynamite; u/s motormouth), nraca (dynamite; u/s inez), paige pardy (swing; u/s velma/prudy/gym teacher), noah rivera (Swing), robbie roy (dance cpt; swing), travis robertson (Gilbert; u/s seaweed), hollis scarborough (Brenda; u/s penny), jamison scott (brad; u/s corny/principal/mr pinky), megan selensky (Swing), tara siesener (tracy standby; u/s prudy/gym teacher), leonard e sullivan (Thad; u/s seaweed/dynamite), kara-tameika watkinsa (dynamite)

[Crazy4MattMorrison52]

Posted: 2/16/06 at 11:12pm

seems like they got alot of old tour people for the ensemble. also gettyimages.com has good pictures from the opening.

[BwayTheatre11]

Posted: 2/16/06 at 11:35pm

Awww, didn't know Bradley was in it...good for her! Saw her in the Millie tour in 2003.

[.LittleWing. 0224]

Posted: 2/17/06 at 12:38am

is it strange to anyone else that the shelly only understudies tracy, there's a swing who covers the rest of the u/s prudy/gym teacher track and the tracy standby also u/s prudy/gym teacher.

mostly that the tracy covers those adult female roles. seeing as tracy has to be a certain height/size. no..?

[JoMarch]

Posted: 2/17/06 at 12:59am

Thanks for the review. :) I can't wait to see this production. :) Updated On: 2/17/06 at 12:59 AM

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 2/17/06 at 3:37am

John Hill was there? I guess that makes sense, but seems like he was the only 'name' person there.