The beat never stops with the FTC Theatre musical, ‘Hairspray’

By Grace Bonamico

Five Towns College didn’t want the beat to stop at this past weekend’s performances of Hairspray. The production was directed by Mitchell Walker, with music direction by Felipe Rondon and choreography by Hali Bekofsky. The musical is an adaptation of the 1988 film written and directed by John Walter and follows Tracy Turnblad, a spirited and optimistic teenager in 1962 Baltimore who dreams of dancing on The Corny Collins Show, a local TV program. When Turnblad earns a spot on the show, she quickly becomes a celebrity and uses her new platform to speak out against the show’s segregationist policies. The show balances out these important themes with upbeat, fun music and humor that keeps the audience dancing and laughing throughout the runtime.

One casting highlight for the musical is that a male actor traditionally plays Tracy’s mother Edna Turnblad in drag. At FTC, Cody Meares played this role and was a fan favorite due to his singing, dancing, and comedic capabilities. “This is like the dream role for me. Hairspray was like one of the first things I really remember. I was five years old and I had the DVD and it just genuinely changed my life and changed what I was as a person. This has always been a dream of mine. So it was easy. It was smooth,” said Meares.

WATCH: Behind the Scenes at Opening Night

The set was fluid with moving pieces smoothly changing in and out as the scenes demanded. At one point, a rack of records in Motormouth Maybelle’s record store was swapped out with desks and chairs for a classroom scene. Another standout set piece was the screen at the back of the stage which displayed pictures and acted as either a background or broadcast footage from a camera in the front row if the scene took place during The Corny Collins Show.

Along with the set, the lighting seemed perfectly timed, creating the overall feel of a masterful technical show. “I mean, the lighting, moving like the cues was fantastic and it was all so timed out. I can’t even put into words from a technical aspect how well put together it was,” said FTC alum Erika Loehr, who majored in Theatrical Design with a concentration in Scenic Carpentry.

WATCH: Producing a Musical for Television

A performance standout was the powerful number in the Second Act, “I Know Where I’ve Been,” sung by Motormouth, Seaweed, and Little Inez along with some of the ensemble. In this scene, the group leads a protest for racial equality through Baltimore. “I thought it [the musical] was phenomenal and my favorite part was ‘I Know Where I’ve Been‘, which was was the core emotional part and it was wonderful,” said Professor Kaelem Camper. The themes of the song are still relevant today, resulting in a two-minute standing ovation for the song  on closing night. 

WATCH: Producing a Musical’s Sound

Hairspray was a hit with audiences because of the sheer energy of the musical along with the emotional and inspiring story the show brought to the stage, with audience member Emma Bruno saying, “It’s just electric.” After the bows and an extremely deserved standing ovation, the cast kept the energy up with an encore of the musical’s 11 O’clock number “You Can’t Stop The Beat,” inviting the audience to dance and sing along, which they enthusiastically did.

It is very easy to see the amount of time, love, and hard work that went into producing Hairspray. From the costumes and choreography to the powerhouse vocal performances, every detail reflected a deep commitment to storytelling and entertainment. The cast’s chemistry and the show’s message of inclusivity and self-acceptance resonated deeply with the crowd, leaving a lasting impression.