Review: Hairspray at Robinson

by Joanne  Choi of Walt Whitman High School

A campaign for integration that got activists landed in jail might sound like something you would read in a boring history textbook… but when mixed with perfectly synchronized group dancing and catchy show tunes, it’s Robinson Secondary School’s spectacular production of Hairspray!

Hairspray tells the tale of Tracy Turnblad, a teenage girl who longs to fit in amongst her peers and has big dreams of dancing on her favorite tv show. Despite others’ beliefs that a “pleasantly plump” girl like her has no chance of being on the Corny Collins show, she lands herself a spot and gets her big break. After successfully achieving her first goal, Tracy is determined to accomplish her next, even bigger dream of permanently integrating the show, a radical idea for the 1960s. Based on the 1988 John Waters film, this cheerful and upbeat musical has ran over 2,500 performances, won 8 tony awards, and was adapted as a 2007 musical film with an all-star cast.

Robinson Secondary School’s production of Hairspray was fantastic overall, but a notably interesting twist was that there were not one, but two female characters played by males. Edna Turnblad and Motormouth Maybelle were played by actors Jackson Viccora and Michael Lamar, both of whom did a truly commendable job handling the undoubtedly unfamiliar physicality of their characters as well as masterfully moving around the stage in heels.

Tracy Turnblad’s cheerful and bubbly personality was skillfully embodied by Hannah Sikora, who constantly stayed in character both physically and vocally throughout the show. The teenage heartthrob Link Larkin was flawlessly portrayed by Jamie Green, who stole the audience’s heart with his charming dance moves and silky smooth vocals. Tracy and Link’s chemistry was evident from their first encounter to their final kiss, which helped develop a dynamic relationship between them as the story continued.

The performances of the supporting cast and ensemble groups were absolutely phenomenal and proved to be a strong support especially during the scenes when the leads were weak. Katie Rogers, who played Penny Pingleton, Tracy’s quirky best friend brought the audience to laughter multiple times with hilarious one-liners. Penny’s love interest, Seaweed J Stubbs, played by Ivonte Milligan awed the audience with his excellent dancing which never failed to impress. Michael Lamar’s prodigious voice made Motormouth  Maybelle a truly memorable character, and his performance of “I Know Where I’ve Been” brought the audience to their feet as he belted out every note without mistake and received a well-earned standing ovation.

The technical elements of the show effectively brought back the 60s to life onstage. With vibrant colors popping out from all over the place, the costumes and make-up helped effectively portray the characters’ distinct personalities. As for the set, the one prop that stood out from all the others was the giant jukebox strategically placed in the center of the stage. The words on the jukebox cleverly changed with every scene, showing the title of the song that was being performed at the moment.

A show as famous and popular as Hairspray can be difficult to perform well, but Robinson did an incredible job of putting on a truly feel-good performance that stayed with the audience even after their final song. It was easy to see that the cast of Robinson Secondary School’s production of Hairspray are not only some of “The Nicest Kids In Town”, but also some of the most talented.

Editor's Note: The Cappies program is the critics and awards program for high school theater. In this program, high school students are trained as critics, attend shows at other schools and write reviews for local news publications. At the end of the year, student critics vote for awards that are presented at a formal Cappies Gala.