The LSU Musical Theatre Club performed “Hairspray” this past weekend, with the intent to touch the hearts of the audience, with social hurdles that are arguably as relevant today as they were in the ‘60s. The central themes of body image, race and the importance of love dominate the performance.
STARS: 5/5
“We worked really hard on this, and it’s amazing to see the final product,” said director John Michael Moore. “Getting to feel the audience enjoy the show, especially since I got to sit in the audience, is something incredible.”
Over the course of the performance, the audience seemed to be steadily engaged with the actors and actresses on stage. The cast was able to capture the essence of the character they were playing and the audience noticed.
“It’s a dream role for me,” said Lily Sewell who played Tracy. “The best part about playing Tracy is getting to play someone that is such a go-getter and has so much confidence. It was cool to play a character that also uplifted me as a person.”
Sewell rarely left the stage, as she is the lead, and played Tracy beautifully. Her energy and upbeat tempo were noted throughout the performance.
The opening number “Good Morning Baltimore” set an important tone for the rest of the film. Each number ended with laughter or a round of applause, or both.
The Union Theater’s seats were filled for every showing of “Hairspray.” The cast of “Hairspray” showcased their incredible stage with performances on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Tracy’s love interest, Link, was played by Jacob Voisin.
“The character evolution was something I’ve never done before,” said Voisin. “Midway through the show, for lack of a better term, Link is “woke” because he realized that there are problems much bigger than his own.”
Sewell and Voisin’s stage chemistry added a certain authenticity to the show.
On another note, the role of Edna was played by male Jonathan Ray. This is second drag role, but he said that this show is probably the most important. People need to hear the messages about love, self-acceptance and positivity, Ray said.
The final number, “You Can’t Stop the Beat,” spoke to the synchronized energy of the cast. Each member sang and danced with their heart, despite the fact that they must’ve been exhausted after such a long show.
“The audience feeds us so much energy,” said Brandon Guillory who played Corny Collins. “It’s a long show, and at the end when you can feel them singing and dancing and smiling with you, it’s incredible.”
To add to the authenticity of the show, Seaweed, who was played by DiAndre Woods, said that he and his character share a lot of their personality traits. He also acknowledges he will carry this experience over into every role he takes on after this.
The relatability of the messages throughout the performance reached the audience. Race issues, relationship problems and body image struggles continue to face the world today. An audience is bound to love a performance if they can imagine themselves as at least one of the characters on stage in one way or another.
