Hairspray Brings a Night of Toe Tapping Fun to the Dolby

First a 1988 film by John Waters, Hairspray became a Tony Award winning Broadway musical in 2023 and a new musical movie with John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer and Zac Effron and is now playing at the Dolby Theatre.

The musical is still going strong with fun upbeat songs and an underlying theme about breaking barriers and stereotypes.

Plump teenager with big hair Trace Turnblad (Niki Metcalf, who is perfectly cast) has a dream of appearing on the teen dance Corny Collins Show. She gets her shot, against the wishes of Amber Von Tussle (Ryahn Evers) and her stage mother Velma (Addison Garner). There’s an underlying theme of discrimination and equal rights issues, as well as a bit of body shaming bullying, amidst the toe tapping dance numbers.

After befriending Motormouth Maybelle (Sandie Lee), a local record shop owner and host of “Negro Day,” the once a month allowance of racial integration on the Corny Collins show, her son Seaweed and daughter Little Inez, Tracy and friend Penny (Emery Henderson) help fight for segregation and acceptance of all. Tracy’s duets with TV heartthrob Link Larkin (Nick Cortazzo) provide a break with some romantic ballads.

Andrew Levitt (Nina West) is fantastic in drag as Tracy’s mother Edna, with a stand-out “Welcome to the 60’s” number. Our audience was dancing in the aisles to this performance, as well a “Mama, I’m a Big Girl Now” and “You Can’t Stop the Beat.” There’s also a sweet duet with Edna and her husband Wilbur (Ralph Prentice Daniel).

Costumes by William Ivey Long and wigs by Paul Huntley perfectly convey the colorful 60’s, with a set design by David Rockwell.

There’s some heavy issues tackled in Hairspray, but the musical remains uplifting, fun, and still had our audience dancing in the aisles.

Hairspray is playing at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood through May 21. Tickets available at https://www.broadwayinhollywood.com or by phone at 800.982.2787.