Harker Jones – BroadwayWorld.
Aerosol in the air as Tracy Turnblad, Penny Pingleton, and the teens of Baltimore bring politics and pizzazz to Hollywood with a stunning production of one of the best and beloved musicals of all time…
It’s a thrilling, unsinkably upbeat show, gleefully over the top, with colorful characters, costumes, and sets. There’s so much energy, so much enthusiasm you can’t help but be swept up in it. Director Matt Lenz, choreographer Robbie Roby, and music supervisor Keith Thompson have created such a thing of joy, the action moving along at a breakneck pace but never feeling rushed. Metcalf brings perfect spunk-with-an-edge to Tracy, who believes in both herself and the ability of people to change. Ralph Prentice Daniel is sweetly crush worthy as her father, Wilbur Turnblad; Billy Dawson displays an effortless sexiness as Corny Collins (think a non-neutered Ryan Seacrest); and Addison Garner as Velma Von Tussle, Amber’s ambitious and small-minded mother, are standouts among a solid gold cast. Read more…
Tracey Paleo – Gia On The Move
Niki Metcalf brought down the house on opening night as lead renegade, hair-hoppin’ trend-setter, Tracy Turnblad. And she wasn’t alone. The entire HAIRSPRAY touring cast was “all in” for their first Los Angeles performance. Read more…
Jonas Schwartz-Owen – Theatermania
Hairspray captures the innocence of early 1960s American youth as the nation wakes up from the glaze of post-war prosperity, and takes a stand against racial and social injustice. Tracy, her insecure mom, Edna (Andrew Levitt a.k.a. Nina West), and jokester dad Wilbur (Ralph Prentice Daniel), become enlightened through their friendships with members of the African American community, while Tracy finds love and fame are at risk if she speaks up for the downtrodden.
But misdirection and miscasting have stopped the beat of the touring Hairspray, that is now stopping at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. Though all the elements, including the production design and re-creation of the choreography, remind audiences of the sparkling original production, tour director Matt Lenz allows his leads to squander the hilarity of their characters, so that the production may come off as a disappointment for fans. Read more…