REVIEW: 'Hairspray' at Chanhassen Dinner Theatres
Image credit: Act One, Too Ltd.
The world of John Waters is always weird, sometimes wonderful and often a little uncomfortable—to put it mildly. The rise of the self-proclaimed dirty old man’s 1988 film Hairspray (an account of “pleasantly plump” teenager Tracy Turnblad’s pursuit of fame—and integration—in 1960s Baltimore) to its status as a Broadway-adapted staple of mainstream theater is something of an anomaly.
Chanhassen Dinner Theatres’ production, directed by CDT artistic director Michael Brindisi and choreographed by Tamara Kangas Erickson, is an anomaly in a different way: not only does it successfully walk the line between risqué campiness and ingenuous fun, but just about every element of the show, from costumes to choreography to comedic delivery, strikes the delicate balance that over the years has made Waters’ film (and later the Marc Shaiman-Scott Wittman Broadway production) a classic.
Therese Walth perfectly evokes Tracy’s loveable mix of idealism and naivete, while Jay Albright (who was delightful as King Herod in CDT’s Jesus Christ Superstar) and David Anthony Brinkley (Superstar’s Pontius Pilate) both seem like they were born to play the elder Turnblads (father Wilbur and mother Edna, respectively). Albright and Brinkley’s portrayal of the unconventional—and remarkably happy—couple is heartwarming, but always retains Hairspray’s trademark subversive, sometimes sarcastic edge.
That edge also plays out nicely in the scenes dealing with racism, self-esteem and sizeism, like “Run and Tell That,” “Big, Blonde, and Beautiful” and “”I Know Where I’ve Been.” Aimee K. Bryant’s Motormouth Maybelle, Michael Gruber’s slightly seedy (in a good way) Corny Collins, Kaija Pellinen’s nerdy Penny Pingleton and Kasono Mwanza’s swoonworthy Seaweed lead the rest of the pack with equally lively and engaging performances.
The bright-colored, feel-good filter through which Waters first put the film’s not-so-happy themes (segregation, body image, crass consumerism) remains intact in CDT’s production, but it never dilutes the power of its inspirational message, nor does it seem overdone. For those of us who still root for the freaks and geeks of the world—and for those who just want to watch Tracy and friends dance with abandon—Hairspray is a must-see.
+ Chanhassen Dinner Theatrer's Hairspray has been extended through May 26, 2012.
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