Play Suggestions: Hairspray...a few questions

Hairspray...a few questions

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Topic: Hairspray...a few questions

Posted By: Tammy Breitman
Subject: Hairspray...a few questions
Date Posted: 4/04/11 at 7:53pm

I'm thinking of doing Hairspray with a middle school theater group with a lot of singing, acting, dancing ability. Questions: if you have done the show, how would you handle the racial storyline with a cast that has little to no ethnicty? Any comments or advice would be appreciated....difficulty of music is not an issue. Thanks!

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Tammy B.

Replies:

Posted By: Spectrum
Date Posted: 4/04/11 at 9:44pm

Call me crazy, but isn't a big part of that show a demonstration of the stupidity of racial divide in our society? How would you present that with a completely homogenous cast? Some shows just won't work in some schools BECAUSE of a lack of ethnic diversity. This would be one of those times, in my opinion. Without ethnic diversity in your cast, I'd be afraid of the OTHER problems this could create - e.g. it could come off as ethnically insulting, or elitist, or poorly thought through. Just my opinion, though.

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Growing old is mandatory. Growing up is optional.

Posted By: Rorgg
Date Posted: 4/05/11 at 10:28am

Hairpray's one of those shows (see also: Ragtime) that really needs the diversity, otherwise just pick something else.

Posted By: sguti39
Date Posted: 4/05/11 at 12:42pm

We just completed hairspray with a small number of african american participants, we only had 8. When we signed the licensing for the show, we were required to sign a contract which stipulates that you cannot put caucasian actors in those principal african american roles. So you must have Seaweed, Motormouth, Little Inez and at least one dynamite (although 3 make the sound much better in their parts). We used our "other" ethnicities (hispanic, oriental, samoan, etc.) in the record shop scenes.

We are in southern california and should have had not problem recruiting a very diverse cast, but for some reason, our African American actors kept dropping out (I must add that our director was African American and played our Motormouth....her daughter a dynamite, and the show turned out great). I know you said that talent isnt an issue, but keep in mind that the songs that these actors sing, can be challenging, so if your choices in actors is limited....the singing and dancing requirements of these may be an issue.

It is a great show, but it is somewhat difficult to stage. You must have GREAT singing, GREAT dancing, GREAT costumes and GREAT hair to set the complete show. If one of these does not come through it is very obvious.

Would you consider bringing in a "guest artist" to fill some of these roles from a nearby middle school and augment your cast?

Not an easy decision, but best wishes!

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S.G.

Posted By: Tammy Breitman
Date Posted: 4/16/11 at 1:27pm

Thanks....our high school staged Ragtime, and my colleague portrayed the three groups using costumes....immigrants were in blue, Cole House et al were in red, etc. It was quite effective and was beautifully received. Spoke to the licensing agent for Hairspray and he never mentioned any contract stipulations re: race of the leads...interesting.

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Tammy B.

Posted By: MusicManD
Date Posted: 4/16/11 at 3:51pm

My high school had one African American family, and they weren't involved in drama or music. Thus, I was amazed when my junior year they decided to do Big River. We ended up having at least four actors in dark makeup, and surprisingly, we didn't catch any flack for it. I was just glad they didn't ask me to do it- I would have felt uncomfortable.

With that said, I would not even try Hairspray without the racial diversity. I did "You Can't Stop the Beat" with a show choir a few years ago, and ended up rewriting a few lyrics to fit my group... but even that felt awkward. I know it's a cool show right now, but it'd be like trying to do Annie at an all boys' school.