By JAMES D. WATTS JR. Scene Writer on Mar 3, 2013, at 3:47 PM Updated on 3/03 at 3:47 PM
Tulsa Project Theatre’s “Hairspray” is about as silly as the name of the latest dance sensation that is sweeping the nation, as hyperactive as a toddler hopped up on soda pop and Snickers bars, and as solid as a bouffant lacquered in Aqua-Net.
And that’s pretty much the way this show — the Tony Award-winning musical adaptation of John Waters’ cult film — should be. Yes, the story hinges on some weighty concepts — confronting racism, standing up to bullies (whatever age they may), that true love has little to do with the way someone looks — but in the end it’s a confection.
A high-speed, nonstop singing and dancing confection, to be sure, but still, it’s a show designed to appeal to those more familiar with Dick Clark than Dick Gregory. And it succeeds quite impressively in achieving that goal.
It’s a few eventful days in the life of Tracy Turnblad (Claire Kifer), who lives for little more than learning the latest dances and dreaming of appearing on “The Corny Collins Show,” the Baltimore version of “American Bandstand,” where “the nicest kids in town” gyrate to the current hits.
However, the show is produced by Velma von Tussle (Kara Erwin), a former l0cal beauty queen and world-champion bigot, who is using the show to help launch the show-biz career of her extremely blonde, if not overly talented, daughter Amber (Janna O’Leary).
But Tracy’s abilities and enthusiasm quickly win her a place on the show, as well as the romantic interest of the show’s matinee idol Link (Jonathan Gilland). Tracy’s success causes even her agoraphobic mother Edna (Sean Rooney) to dream of getting out into the world and pursuing her dream to become the queen of plus-size dress patterns.
And because all she wants to do is dance, Tracy doesn’t understand why all her friends of all races, sizes and statuses can’t join her in gyrating in front of the cameras.
Kifer is marvelous as Tracy; not even a knee injury can slow her down or burst a single bubble of her character’s effervescent eagerness. From her first entrance, belting out “Good Morning, Baltimore” in a powerhouse voice, she has you believing she’s a 16-year-old for whom just about everything in the world is just so COOL.
Rooney may make Edna a bit too drab and underplayed in the opening scenes, but once Edna gets out from behind the ironing board, Rooney starts to come to life, and the declaration of love duet he sings with Justin Boyd, “Timeless to Me,” is a highlight.
Christopher Middlebrook gives Corny Collins just the right amount of suburban suavity, while Erwin tears into her theme song, “Miss Baltimore Crabs,” with an almost indecent amount of gusto. Samantha Woodruff steals a number of scenes as Tracy’s often clueless sidekick Penny, O’Leary is gleefully annoying as Amber, and Gilland is all louche charm and smoldering baritone as Link.
Rebecca Marks-Jimerson might not be too comfortable with Motormouth Maybelle’s rhyming dialogue, but she belts out “Big, Blonde and Beautiful” and “I Know Where I’ve Been” with soulful authority.
Director and choreographer Heather Hall-Newman maintains the show’s cinematic pace effectively, and musical director Kent Dennis leads the show’s 11-piece band through the Marc Shaiman score, which itself is a series of pastiches and parodies of early ’60s pop songs.
Best of all, in spite of the show’s rapid pace and nearly non-stop dancing, the cast’s ensemble singing and dancing were first-rate. Songs such as "Run and Tell That," sung by Quintin Jones, and "Dirty Boogie" featured excellent work by the ensemble Just Move,
Tulsa Project Theatre’s last show, “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” was one of the best-sung local musicals I’ve heard in a long time. “Hairspray” is just as good, maybe better, in that regard. And it’s a plus-sized load of pure fun.
“Hairspray” continues with performances at 7:30 p.m. Friday, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, and 2 p.m. Sunday at Assembly Hall in the Tulsa Convention Center, 100 Civic Center. For tickets: 1-877-TULSA-CC, tulsaworld.com/tpttix.
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