Review: Hairspray tour 10/31/07

I saw the Hairspray tour in Cedar Rapids last night. It's one of my favorite shows and I had a great time. I was disappointed when I saw the understudy board because Brooklynn Pulver (Tracy) and Constantne Rousouli (Link) were out. I saw the tour six months ago and was looking forward to seeing Brooklynn again. My thought on the cast:

Sara Roussos as Tracy- Unfortunately for her, I was comparing her to Brooklynn the whole time. Like Brooklynn, her singing voice is deeper than other Tracys'. Sara definitely did the role justice. She genuinely looked like she was having fun up there. If I hadn't seen Brooklynn first, I would have liked Sara a lot more. Brooklynn has this infectious charisma that can't be matched. My main complaint about Sara was that she wasn't fat enough. They should have padded her more.

Jerry O'Boyle as Edna- Flawless. He brings a depth and humanity to Edna that is so refreshing. He's the only person who makes her truly three-dimensional. He's extremely charismatic and his acting was even more perfect than last time.

Jeff Stanfield as Link- He was fine. Didn't leave much of an impression either way. He and Sara had good chemistry.

Alyssa Malgeri as Penny- I seriously love this girl. She was a little too spastic at times, but everything else about her performance made up for it. She's definitely one of the most talented people in the cast. I can't say enough good things about her.

Pearl Thomas as Amber- Complete 180 from last time. Last time, her performance was boring and phoned in. This time, she owned the role and was giving it her all. I was very pleased.

Dan Feretti as Wilbur- Also much improved. He seemed more comfortable in the role and he and Jerry have the most wonderful chemistry. "You're Timeless to Me" brought the house down. Even though I knew most of the ad-libbing was staged, I had tears in my eyes from laughing so hard.

Kristin Stewart as Velma- I much preferred Happy McPartlin, who I saw last time. Something was off about Kristin's performance. I can't figure out what.

Christian White as Seaweed- Wow! Much better than I remembered. He owned the stage. He is everything Seaweed should be. Like with Alyssa, I can't say enough good things about him.

Angela Birchett as Motormouth- Extremely charismatic. Her acting about fabulous and she commanded the stage. "I don't like that she riffed during I Know Where I've Been," but other than that I loved her. Last time I saw Yvette Monique Clark, who was also wonderful. I think I like them both equally. One thing about Angela is that she barely looks black. Also, her wigs looked like omething you could buy for a dollar at Walmart.

Arjana Andris as Prudy etc- Hilarious. Not much else to say.

Jarret Mallon as Corny- He was fantastic. Didn't crack at all unlike last time.

Marsena Euncice Bowers as Inez- Not much a role, but she made the most of it. She's very adorable.

All in all, I had a blast. Go see the tour if you can!

I agree with most of what Elphaba3 Said. Having worked on the tech crew when the show came through Columbus, GA, I found this mount of the show to be filled with an incredible amount of talent! Brooklyn is an absolute dream! (Sorry you missed her!) She does simply magical things with the musical score she was given. (which is quite magical to begin with!) Her "Good Morning Baltimore Reprise" simply made me cry.

While I agree that Angela Birchette may not be QUITE the perfect physical "type" for Motormouth (She's a little short), Her musical talent more than made up for it. I thought she made bold, new choices with the music. Most women who've played the role tend to blast out the selections with "Jennifer Holiday" type gusto. Birchette, however, chooses to sing her tunes more melodically, to dream-like affect. Much like her character, Motormouth, she has a soft touch that makes a strong point. But make no mistake, this lady packs a lot of power!
As for her wig: Unfortunately, the structure of touring shows is that the wigs get moved around and packed up much more than any wig should. Also, they are often styled by local crew stylists under the supervision of a Chief hair dresser for the show. It all depends on the talent of the local stylists, and their comprehension of the desired affect. (Many crew members NEVER see the shows they work on.) In Columbus, I can say that the stylists did a marvelous job, and all of the styles were achieved flawlessly.

Note: If you've seen the Broadway show or First National tour, prepare to see some slightly paired down sets, and smaller, intimate staging in this Non-Equity version. Trust me, however, that it really doesn't impact the show much at all, and It's still the same HAIRSPRAY you know and love!

I too had a marvelous time both backstage and in the audience! If this show is in your town, DON'T MISS YOUR CHANCE to see the happiest show around!

EDIT: PLEASE don't leave immediately after the curtain call!! The show's not quite over yet!
Hairspray Tour Official Site

Updated On: 11/11/07 at 02:34 PM