First off, I’m not sure why it has taken me a decade since first beginning to write about the Nashville area theatre scene on a regular basis to make the relatively short trek to nearby Clarksville to see a show at the Roxy Regional Theatre. Perhaps I was just waiting on an official invite. Well, thanks to Brian Best, it finally happened when I recently attending a performance of the Roxy’s current production, Hairspray, and now I can truly say I see what the buzz about the Roxy is all about.
Not only is the Roxy a simply gorgeous classic movie house that’s been renovated into a fabulous live performance venue, it’s also situated near the charming yet bustling town square. Add to that the aforementioned Brian Best in the role of Edna Turnblad and you’re most certain to be guaranteed a great night of musical theatre.
Directed and choreographed by Roxy’s Executive Director, Ryan Bowie, this production of Hairspray, based on cult movie king, John Waters’ 1988 film, the story’s eight-Tony-winning 2002 stage musical adaptation and subsequent 2007 big budget musical movie redo is surprisingly one of the best productions of the show I’ve seen, and I’ve seen it done quite a few times over the years.
Bowie has cast an all-around enjoyable cast. Obvious stand-outs include Jenna Leigh Miller, who stars as Tracy Turnblad, Edna’s plump and plucky teenage daughter whose dream is to not only dance on The Corny Collins Show, a Baltimore-based weekly music show (think American Bandstand), but to also usher in the racial integration of the show as well. Miller is simply adorable. Oblivious to the obstacles before her, or perhaps fueled by them, Miller’s Tracy commands the stage, from the show’s opening Good Morning Baltimore all the way through to Act’s 2’s all-in You Can’t Stop the Beat.
Drew Stairs approaches Corny Collins with charm and a perfectly over-inflated ego. His scenes with Miler’s Tracy are sweet and his jabs at her Barbie-doll perfect nemesis, Amber Von Tussle (Jessica Caracciolo) are executed with perfect comedic timing. Speaking of Amber, Caracciolo bratty portrayal is so fun, especially when paired with Stacy Turner as her equally self-important mother, Velma Von Tussle.
Kelly Letourneau is such fun to watch as Tracy’s best pal, the seemingly always permanently punished Penny Pingleton. Cast as Penny’s forbidden love (translation, it’s the 1960s…she’s white, he’s not) is Treston Henderson as Seaweed Stubbs. They shine during Without Love. Their on-stage chemistry is so sweet, who can blame Penny’s mother, the aptly named Prudy Pingleton (Amy Snider) for finally acquiescing. Additional kudos are in order to Snider for also appearing as the stereotypical (read lesbian) gym teacher and the no-nonsense prison matron.
Other stand-outs in the cast come courtesy Matthew Combs as Link Larkin, Jamila Hunter as the Big Blond and Beautiful Mothermouth Maybell. Her Act 2 performance of I Know Where I’ve Been, a song that temporarily refocuses the action away from the silliness of Tracy’s TV dreams to the seriousness of racial issues that sadly still exist, is hands-down the best moment in the show. The feisty and adorable Mikquala Skelton as Little Inez is just a joy to watch. Lastly, Mairys Joaquin, Jameka Lache Horton and Alexandra West as The Dynamites, the show’s girl group trio of backup singers provide some of the show’s most gorgeous voices.
Then there’s the aforementioned Brian Best as Edna Turnblad. In the previously mentioned original incarnations of Hairspray, the role of Edna has been played by gender-ignoring camp comedy drag legend, Divine, Broadway icon Harvey Fierstein and John Travolta…yes, even Vinnie Barbarino/Danny Zuko donned a dress to play the role of Edna Turnblad. Edna isn’t entirely new to Best, having played her a couple of years ago in another local production of the show. I was fortunate enough to have seen Best in the production as well and found it quite interesting that under the direction of Bowie, this Edna seems a bit more real, more Waters-esque. Over the top, sure—it kind of comes with the territory—but the Roxy’s Edna seems to heart-wrenchingly wallow in self deprecation while simultaneously building up her daughter in an effort to not let her fall into her mother’s patterns. Best’s Edna also has a grittier, less polished look than his previous turn, whether a choice by the actor and director, or simply by necessity of whomever did Best’s Edna makeup. Either way, it works, especially when she gets the confidence boost she needs and realizes beauty comes in all shapes and sizes.
The Roxy’s Hairspray features a talented group of actors, singers and dancers. Gotta love the school deskograpy from the get go, as well as what I’ll dub the bellography during Tracy’s dreamlike I Can Hear the Bells.
The set, designed by Bowie and Emily Rourke seems at times a bit compact, especially the Turnblad house, but it’s effective and clever, after all, what better way to emphasize the stature of Edna and her mini-me, Tracy than to present a house that’s literally busting at the seams? If there was once drawback to the production, it would have to be the fact that the actors weren’t wearing mics. As mentioned at the top of this review, this was my first time to attend a show at the Roxy, and it was my own fault for not requesting tix earlier. Perhaps because of this, my seats were near the back of the venue and right in front of a wall-mounted speaker, which may have attributed to my inability to hear certain performers and musical numbers.
Nonetheless, thanks to my own familiarity with the show and the cast’s non-stop energy, enthusiasm and all-out apparent excitement to be performing in the show, Roxy’s Hairspray is indeed worth the drive to Clarksville.
Hairspray continues at Roxy Regional Theatre (100 Franklin Street, Clarksville, TN) with performances through Saturday, September 29. Tickets are $25 for Adults and $15 for children 13 and under. CLICK HERE for showtimes, tickets or more information. To find out more about Roxy Regional Theatre, follow them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
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