HAIRSPRAY
The friend who joined me for the opening night of this new rendition of the now-iconic musical Hairspray at the Bank of America Performing Arts Center in Thousand Oaks this weekend is usually very negative about every show we see. But this time she had not one bad thing to say! On the way home, as we were discussing our thoughts on what we had just seen, she sang the praises of just about every aspect of the production, (which is basically just what I had already written in my notes,) and she even added how excellent the theatre’s sound system is! (And let me warn you right now—you’re going to be bombarded by exclamation points in this review because so much of the presentation deserves them! There you go.)
The show consists of great voices, fun numbers, classic songs, energetic dancing, and entertaining performances from everyone. Even the simple ever-moving set is perf!
Lexie Martin and Ryan O’Connor in the center. Photo by Veronica Slavin, as is the one above.
This is one show that’s truly a winner for all ages. And 5 Star Theatricals’ Hairspray is every bit as fabulous as the original National Tour that I saw at the Pantages more than two decades ago!
It’s being presented in the Scherr Forum, which is the Center’s smaller theatre venue, which is the absolutely perfect space for the musical. I sat at the very top of the steep auditorium, (two rows beneath director Marissa Jaret Winokur’s perch, by the way,) and loved that view!
Yes, you read that right—Tony winner Marissa Jaret Winokur, who originated the role of Tracy Turnblad on Broadway, directed this incarnation right here in our own backyard! What an honor for 5 Star Theatricals! And she did an excellent job. (On a side note, we rode down in an elevator together on-site that night, and outside of not being chubby anymore—which the role requires—she looks exactly the same as she did back then! You go, girl!)
The show itself is always fun. The musical, which is based on John Waters’ non-musical 1988 film, began life on Broadway in 2002. The story is of a teen-age girl’s journey in 1962 with a local Baltimore TV dance show. Tracy is a big fan, and wants desperately to be a dancer on it, but she’s plus-size, (which she doesn’t let stop her, although many others are mean about her weight, of course.) And then she develops a crush on Link, the teenage guy singer star of the TV show, (who already has a demanding girlfriend, Amber.) But the tale is mainly about Tracy’s fight against the social injustice of segregating the dancers. The producers insist they be whites-only except for the occasional “Negro Days.” (I’m seeing red just writing that sentence!)
Lexie Martin, Hannah Sedlacek, and Ryan O’Connor. Photo by Veronica Slavin.
Since the action takes place in 1962, the script has several old-fashioned-references, (such as that Sammy Davis, Jr. was both Black and Jewish, and that Debbie Reynolds should not have married a “crooner”—Eddie Fisher,) which made a lot of us laugh. They were written about a half-century ago, so I was wondering if the many youngsters in the audience were all going, “Huh?” But the many seated near me appeared to be loving every line; perhaps they were even inspired to research all those old school names later on.
The entire cast is spot-on; everyone can sing, dance, and make us laugh. And I really like that all the cast members have so much to do throughout the action. It seems that they’re in perpetual motion; no one ever just stands around.
And all the voices are great. I was especially impressed with the early-ish number, Mama, I’m a Big Girl Now, because the voices of Lexie Martin, (as Tracy Turnblad,) Logan Eliza, (as Tracy’s nemesis Velma Von Tussle,) and Hannah Selacek (as Tracy’s bestie, Penny,) are so powerful and perfect!
Becky Lythgoe. Photo by Veronica Slavin.
And Becky Lythgoe as the bigoted TV producer Velma Von Tussle, gives it her all, (and then some!) We’ve actually been acquaintances for eight years, but I was never aware that she acts and sings!!! I knew her as solely a Christmas Panto producer, (with her adorable husband, Kris,) and an all-around fun gal, so seeing her perform like this was quite the delightful surprise.
Having reviewed Garrett Clayton favorably in a couple of holiday pantos around town in the past, I was glad to see him again, this time playing dance show host Corny Collins, (who is actually based on a real person, Buddy Deane. Fascinating sorry—look him up.) I also enjoyed discovering cute Bobby Hogan as Link Larkin, Tracy’s love interest. The same goes for Alexander J. Brown, as Seawood J. Tubbs, who is adorable and certainly can dance, while Jennifer Leigh Warren who plays Motormouth Maybelle, (a character who seems to be named for me—an infamous motormouth—and my little mother, Maybelle!,) sings her butt off. I also got chills from the ladies who play the Motown-inspired girl group, The Dynamites—Rezia Landers, Luz Rodríguez, and Dara Adedara.
In shades of something adorable that happened on the opening night of this company’s Frozen musical in July, (where a little girl in the back loudly sang along to Elsa’s Let It Go,) this time, just as Tracy’s mom Edna (played by Ryan O’Connor; the role is always played by a guy in drag,) hung-up the phone in a scene, a little girl piped-up with a very loud, “Bye.” Ryan’s reaction and adlibs to that situation were hilarious.
In addition to all the frivolity, Hairspray provides important messages on the human and civil rights and political fronts. The narrative is really mainly about integration of people, (which should always be the case in real life,) as well as inclusivity on all levels. There are also a few political quips, which everyone in the opening night audience seemed to appreciate. I loved this exchange, (although I don’t remember between which characters it is,) in which one asks, “Where do you go after Special Ed?” And the answer is, “Congress.”
Jennifer Leigh Warren in the center. Photo by Veronica Slavin.
The only minuscule issue, not with this particular production but with the show itself, especially Act I, is that it’s way too long. I feel that the important scene in Maybelle’s record store, which closes the first half, should be moved to the beginning of the second act so that the audience’s energy isn’t waning at that point, and can therefore enjoy it more. But that is the only teensy negative.
So whether you’ve seen Hairspray elsewhere before, or this will be your first time, I heartily suggest you get over to Thousand Oaks and see it while you have this marvelous opportunity.
And you have a bit of extra time to do just that—this musical is sooo popular, and this production is sooo good, that it’s playing here for three weekends instead of their usual two. I just may see it again myself!
Hairspray running through October 26, 2025
Bank of America Performing Arts Center–Scherr Forum
2100 Thousand Oaks Blvd. Thousand Oaks
805-449-2787 www.5startheatricals.com
