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!<\/p>\n
![\"Lexie](\"https:\/\/itsnotaboutme.tv\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/thumbnail_HAIRSRPAY-5-STAR-3-e1760462922524.jpg\")
<\/a>Lexie Martin and Ryan O’Connor in the center. Photo by Veronica Slavin, as is the one above.<\/p><\/div>\n
This is one show that\u2019s truly a winner for all ages. And 5 Star Theatricals\u2019\u00a0Hairspray<\/em>\u00a0is every bit as fabulous as the original National Tour that I saw at the Pantages more than two decades ago!<\/p>\n It\u2019s being presented in the Scherr Forum, which is the Center\u2019s 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\u2019s perch, by the way,) and loved that view!<\/p>\n Yes, you read that right\u2014Tony winner Marissa Jaret Winokur, who originated the role of Tracy Turnblad on Broadway, directed\u00a0this incarnation\u00a0right 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\u2014which the role requires\u2014she looks exactly the same as she did back then! You go, girl!)<\/p>\n The show itself is\u00a0always<\/em>\u00a0fun.\u00a0The musical, which is based on John Waters\u2019 non<\/em>-musical 1988 film,\u00a0began life on Broadway in 2002. The story is of a teen-age girl\u2019s 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\u2019s plus-size, (which she doesn\u2019t 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\u2019s fight against the social injustice of segregating the dancers. The producers insist they be whites-only except for the occasional \u201cNegro Days.\u201d (I\u2019m seeing red just writing that sentence!)<\/p>\n Lexie Martin, Hannah Sedlacek, and Ryan O’Connor. Photo by Veronica Slavin.<\/p><\/div>\n Since the action takes place in 1962, the script has several old-fashioned-references, (such as that Sammy Davis, Jr. was both Black\u00a0and<\/em>\u00a0Jewish, and that Debbie Reynolds should not have married a \u201ccrooner\u201d\u2014Eddie 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, \u201cHuh?\u201d 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.<\/p>\n The entire cast is spot-on; everyone can sing, dance, and make us laugh. And I really like that\u00a0all<\/em> the cast members have\u00a0so\u00a0much to do throughout the action. It seems that they\u2019re in perpetual motion; no one ever just stands around.<\/p>\n And all the voices are great. I was especially impressed with the early-ish number,\u00a0Mama, I\u2019m a Big Girl Now<\/em>, because the voices of\u00a0 Lexie Martin, (as Tracy Turnblad,) Logan Eliza, (as Tracy\u2019s nemesis Velma Von Tussle,) and Hannah Selacek (as Tracy\u2019s bestie, Penny,)\u00a0are so powerful and perfect!<\/p>\n Becky Lythgoe. Photo by Veronica Slavin.<\/p><\/div>\n And Becky Lythgoe as the bigoted TV producer Velma Von Tussle, gives it her all, (and then some!) We\u2019ve 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.<\/p>\n 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\u2014look him up.) I also enjoyed discovering cute Bobby Hogan as Link Larkin, Tracy\u2019s love interest. The same goes for\u00a0Alexander 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\u2014an infamous motormouth\u2014and<\/em>\u00a0my little mother, Maybelle!,) sings her butt off. I also got chills from the ladies who play the Motown-inspired girl group, The Dynamites\u2014Rezia Landers, Luz Rodr\u00edguez, and Dara Adedara.<\/p>\n In shades of something adorable that happened on the opening night of\u00a0this company\u2019s\u00a0Frozen<\/em> musical in July, (where a little girl in the back loudly sang along to Elsa\u2019s\u00a0Let It Go<\/em>,) this<\/em> time, just as Tracy\u2019s mom Edna (played by Ryan O\u2019Connor; 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, \u201cBye.\u201d Ryan\u2019s reaction and adlibs to that situation were hilarious.<\/p>\n In addition to all the frivolity,\u00a0Hairspray<\/em>\u00a0provides important messages on the human and civil rights and political fronts. The narrative is really mainly about integration of people, (which should always<\/em> be the case in real life,) as well as inclusivity on all<\/em> 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, \u201cWhere do you go after Special Ed?” And the answer is, “Congress.”<\/p>\n Jennifer Leigh Warren in the center. Photo by Veronica Slavin.<\/p><\/div>\n The only minuscule issue, not with this particular production but with the show itself, especially Act I, is that it\u2019s way too long. I feel that the important scene in Maybelle\u2019s record store, which closes the first half, should be moved to the beginning of the second act so that the audience\u2019s energy isn\u2019t waning at that point, and can therefore enjoy it more. But that is the only teensy negative.<\/p>\n So whether you\u2019ve seen\u00a0Hairspray<\/em>\u00a0elsewhere 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.<\/p>\n And you have a bit of extra time to do just that\u2014this musical is sooo popular, and this production is sooo good, that it\u2019s playing here for\u00a0three<\/em>\u00a0weekends instead of their usual\u00a0two<\/em>. I just may see it again myself!<\/p>\n Hairspray<\/em>\u00a0running through October 26, 2025<\/strong> HAIRSPRAY The friend who joined me for the opening night of this new rendition of the now-iconic musical\u00a0Hairspray\u00a0at the Bank of America Performing Arts Center in Thousand Oaks this weekend is usually\u00a0very negative about every show we see. But this time she had not one bad thing to say! On the way home, as we<\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a>
\n Bank of America Performing Arts Center\u2013Scherr Forum<\/strong>
\n 2100 Thousand Oaks Blvd. Thousand Oaks<\/strong>
\n 805-449-2787\u00a0\u00a0www.5startheatricals.com<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"