The Team at the Fullarton Theatre in Castle Douglas are excited to announce that this summers big production ‘Hairspray’ has been cast and rehearsals are now in full swing! Tickets are on sale at The Fullarton Box Office or on the Fullarton website.
This amateur production is presented by arrangement with JOSEF WEINBERGER LIMITED on behalf of MUSIC THEATRE INTERNATIONAL of New York
Based on the New Line Cinema film written and directed by JOHN WATERS
Orchestrations by Harold Wheeler
Arrangements by Marc Shaiman
You can’t stop the beat in this big and bold musical about one girl’s inspiring dream to dance.
The 1950’s are out and change is in the air! Hairspray, winner of 8 Tony Awards including Best Musical, is a family-friendly musical piled bouffant high with laughter, romance, and deliriously tuneful songs.
It’s 1962 in Baltimore, and the lovable plus-size teen Tracy Turnblad has only one desire — to dance on the popular Corny Collins Show. When her dream comes true, Tracy is transformed from social outcast to sudden star. She must use her newfound power to dethrone the reigning Teen Queen, win the affections of heartthrob Link Larkin, and integrate a TV network, all without denting her ‘do!
A note about the casting…
Our production of Hairspray features actors who are portraying characters whose race may be other than their own. The following letter is from the creators of Hairspray which will appear in the show programme.
Dear Audience Members,
When we, the creators of HAIRSPRAY, first started licensing the show to high-schools and community theatres, we were asked by some about using make-up in order for non-African Americans to portray the black characters in the show.
Although we comprehend that not every community around the globe has the perfectly balanced make-up (pardon the pun) of ethnicity to cast HAIRSPRAY as written, we had to, of course, forbid any use of the colouring of anyone’s face (even if done respectfully and subtly) for it is still, at the end of the day, a form of blackface, which is a chapter in the story of race in America that our show is obviously against.
Yet, we also realized, to deny an actor the chance to play a role due to the colour of his or her skin would be its own form of racism, albeit a “politically correct” one.
And so, if the production of HAIRSPRAY you are about to see tonight features folks whose skin colour doesn’t match the characters (not unlike how Edna has been traditionally played by a man), we ask that you use the timeless theatrical concept of “suspension of disbelief” and allow yourself to witness the story and not the racial background (or gender) of the actors. Our show is, after all, about not judging books by their covers! If the direction and the actors are good (and they had better be!) you will still get the message loud and clear. And hopefully have a great time receiving it!
Hairspray ( The Broadway Musical) will run from Monday May the 1st until Saturday May the 6th, all shows are at 7.30pm
You can book your tickets HERE
