When you think about the musical Hairspray, what comes to mind? An early 1960s musical, perhaps like “Bye Bye Birdie”, that reflects the exuberance of its times. That’s certainly the most common memory. But when you look at it closely, Hairspray is a musical about rebellion. It is about the fight to integrate television in Baltimore, and it is about the fight for size acceptance. It is, in many ways, a fight FOR things that our current political leadership seems to be very strongly against: integration, more visibility for minorities, acceptance of people that that don’t fit the white thin blonde look, acceptance of trans or cross-dressing women, and most importantly, freedom to speak out for what you believe in. This fight for acceptance of the downtrodden is a common theme in John Waters work (and I still wish that, someday, someone will revive the Cry-Baby musical that failed on Broadway its first time out). So Hairspray is in many ways a timely musical (and its themes seem a bit out of place in Thousand Oaks, a white-bread area of California that leans Republican).
But Hairspray is a bit of an overdone musical, and you tend to forget its strong themes in the memories of the music. When 5-Star Theatrical (a dba of the former Cabrillo Music Theatre) announced it as part of their 2025 season, I was unsure about seeing the show again. After all, we had recently seen the tour of the show at the Dolby Theatre back in May 2023. It was a good non-equity production. But the 5-Star production had two interesting things going for it (one of which, the director, we didn’t know at the time we renewed): it was in the Scherr Forum, not the Kavli, and it was to be directed by the original Broadway lead, Marissa Jaret Winokur. The first was the primary factor of interest. Everytime we’ve seen Hairspray, it has been in a large theatre. We first saw it in the original tour at the Pantages in 2004; we’ve seen school productions; and of course we’ve seen the movie. Had this production been in the Kavli — the large theatre that does the Broadway tours in T.O — I would have been “meh”. But the Scherr Forum is a small space. It is a 394 seat theatre, with limited fly space and stage space. How would a big production like Hairspray work in the small space? Then the director was announced: Marissa Jaret Winokur. We saw her as the lead back in 2004. How well would she do at directing this show, with the additional challenge of the small space? There are times moving from the stage to directing works: Look at how many times Baayork Lee has directed or choreographed A Chorus Line. There are times it does. All of this made this particular production of Hairspray interesting; so yesterday afternoon, we trudged to Thousand Oaks to get our answers.
[As an aside: I’ll note this was a two-show weekend: Saturday night we saw “Fly Me to the Moon: A Tribute to Quincy Jones“, featuring the Pacific Jazz Orchestra® (Chris Walden, Conductor), with Special Guests José James & Ms. Lisa Fischer. As a musical concert, this is hard to write up other than listing the playlist. It was a great show, but I’m still disappointed that the Soraya has gone to digital programs only. You can see the full digital program, including the playlist and artist information, at this link (for as long as the link works). There were a number of songs that I liked quite a bit, and Jose James was quite good. I was less enamored with Lisa Fischer: She had a strong voice, but some of her stylings I was less sure of (although she may just have been following the stylings of the original artists).]
Back to Hairspray. First and foremost: This was a very entertaining show. The casting was very strong, and the production team figured out how to use the Scherr Forum space well. It was a very very enjoyable production, and if you can, you should go see it. If there was one thing I didn’t like, it was the confetti cannon at the end. I’ve gotten tired of confetti and glitter cannons in shows. They don’t do anything for the story; they make a mess for the crew to clean up; and they create loads of trash (and often plastic waste) that is unnecessary. If you’re thinking about using a confetti or glitter cannon in your show … just don’t. Spend your money elsewhere.
So let’s work our way through the show. I presume I don’t need to summarize the story for you — if you need a synopsis, go read the Wikipedia page. First, the question of how the show did in the smaller space. My impression was that the choreography was a bit less expansive, and the sets were a bit smaller. The sets, which were from San Pedro Playhouse in San Antonio TX, worked for the space and were probably less expensive than full-size theatre sets. More significant was the lack of overhead fly space, so stuff came in from the wings. But in general, the show worked well for the space and it enabled the audience to see the performers well.
This takes us to the performers, and I’d like to highlight some performances. As always, I note that I find it hard to separate what the director brings from what the actor brings; in a true collaboration, that should be seemless. But what is clearly director should be more in the blocking and movement and larger stuff.
In the lead was Lexie Martin as Tracy Turnblad. I was unsure about her at first, but I grew to really like her performance. She brought a lot of fun to the performance, and her stature (short — she’s 4’10”) and shape made her a very realistic Tracy. She was always really cute (but I tend to have a bias towards that size/shape, if you’ve met my wife). Strong singing and strong performance. A real joy to watch over the show (and I thought I saw a bit of her real personality shining through in Act II).
I really enjoyed the performances of Ryan O’Conner (Edna Turnblad) and Travis Joe Dixon (Wilbur Turnblad). I was unsure originally about the casting of O’Conner, as he seems a bit thinner than the typical person in the role, but he was able to make the character work with costuming. But what more important was the performance he brought, the humor, and the chemistry he had with Dixon. I think “Timeless to Me” is one of the best love songs out there, reflecting the reality of love (as opposed to the picture-perfect love of the Hallmark Channel). These two were believable as that couple, and their adlibbing was hilarious. They rolled with the punches and played with each other, and it was a delight to watch.
Jennifer Leigh Warren was a knockout as Motormouth Maybelle. A strong voice and a singular stage presence shone whenever she was one the stage. She was great in both “Big, Blonde, and Beautiful” and “I Know Where I’ve Been”.
Garrett Clayton (Corny Collins) was more of a weak point for me, although I don’t know how much of it was direction vs actor. He came off as a bit stiffer-faced; I would have liked to see more expression and playfulness. You would expect that in a teen TV host.
A few additional notes: Hannah Sedlacek (Penny Pingleton) started out a bit stiffer (esp. in “I’m a Big Girl Now”), but really warmed up as things moved into the second act. Her performance is one worth watching. Also worth watching is Alexander Brown (Seaweed), who had a lovely voice and stage presence. Michael Baker (Mr. Pinky, as well as Sphritzer) made me think of my Cousin Les, for some reason.
Looking at the ensemble, I was really impressed by Dara Adedara (Dynamite Judine, and other roles): Her movement, her dance, and her voice were all strong. I particularly enjoyed watching her when she was dancing with Christian Tyler Dorey (short, balding black kid, so I could have the name wrong). Luz Rodriquez had strong movement and voice, but had a problem that is common now with younger actors: tattoos. I understand they are personal expression, but for performances consider a sleeve to hide them, as their presence can be incongruous for that character in that era, just distracting from the character they are so carefully creating.
Overall, this was a very strong production, proving again the value of 5-Star for the Ventura County area. It really is the training ground for actors and production members that enables them to go much further. There are so many significant actors that have been showcased and developed through the 5-Star/Cabrillo team; this is one reason we keep going back to them (even with the outrageous parking fees — $16, unjustified for T.O. — and overdone security checks). There is one more weekend for the production: You can get tickets through Ticketmaster; more information on the show is available through the 5-Star Site. Hairspray continues through October 26, 2025.
Credits
Hairspray: The Broadway Musical. Book by Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan. Music by Marc Shaiman. Lyrics by Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman. Based on the New Line Cinema film written and directed by John Waters. Directed by Marissa Jaret Winokur. Choreography by Clarice Ordaz.
Cast (æ indicates Actors Equity): Lexie Martin Tracy Turnblad; Ryan O’Connoræ Edna Turnblad; Garrett Claytonæ Corny Collins; Jennifer Leigh Warrenæ Motormouth Maybelle; Becky Lythgoe Velma Von Tussle; Bobby Hogan Link Larkin; Logan Eliza Amber Von Tussle; Alexander J. Brown Seaweed J. Tubbs; Hannah Sedlacek Penny Pingleton; Travis Joe Dixon Wilbur Turnblad; Malia Johnson Little Inez; Rachel McLaughlin Prudy Pingleton; Michael Baker Mr. Pinky; Dara Adedara Dynamite Judine; Luz Rodriguez Dynamite Kamilah; Reiza Landers Dynamite Shayna; Luc Clopton Fender; Amy Smith Brenda; Christian Tyler Dorey Duane; Brody Tarrant Sitton Brad; Charlotte Scally Tammy; Almand Martin Jr. Thad; Wyatt Larrabee Sketch; Irelynn TerraNami Lou Ann; Matthew Smith Gilbert; Madison North Shelly; John Candelaria IQ.
Music Department: Anthony Lucca Music Director and Conductor; Darryl Tanikawa Orchestra Contractor; Gary Rautenberg Flute, Clarinet, Alto Sax, Soprano Sax; Matt Germaine Piccolo, Flute, Clarinet, Tenor Sax, Bari Sax; Bill Barrett Trumpet; June Satton Trombone; Sharon Cooper Violin 1; Laurel Diskin Violin 2; Oliver Walton Cello; Cody Cadena Acoustic & Electric Guitars 1; Dylan Gorenberg Acoustic & Electric Guitars 2; Anthony Lucca Keyboard 1; Sean Alexander Bart Keyboard 2; Chris Kimbler Keyboard 3; Shane Harry Electric Bass; Satoshi Kirasawa Set Drums; Tyler Smith Percussion.
Production and Creative (æ indicates Actors Equity): Marissa Jaret Winokur Director; Clarice Ordaz Choreographer; Chadd McMillan Associate Director; Mitchell Gerrard Johnson Asst. Director; Camal Pugh Assoc. Choreographer; Vernon Willetæ Production Stage Manager; Olivia Riddleæ Assistant Stage Manager; Johnathan A. Burke Sound Design; Julia Pinhey Sound Design; Mia Crocker Sound Mixer; Brandon Baruch Lighting Design; Alex Choate Prop Designer; Taylor Bax-Kuhlmey Props Design; The Theatre Company (Upland CA) Costumes; San Pedro Playhouse (San Antonio TX) Sets; Javier Sanchez Scenic Design; Jacob Holcombe Asst. Prop Design / Crew Chief; Luis Martinez Wig and Hair Design; Tanya Apuya Costume Design; Brian Hashimoto Technical Director; EK Dagenfield Production Manager; David Elzer Publicity; Fresh Interactive Marketing; Michael Donovan CSA and Richie Ferris CSA Casting.
Administrivia
I am not a professional critic. I’m a cybersecurity professional, a roadgeek who does a highway site and a podcast about California Highways, and someone who loves live performance. I buy all my own tickets, unless explicitly noted otherwise. I do these writeups to share my thoughts on shows with my friends and the community. I encourage you to go to your local theatres and support them (ideally, by purchasing full price tickets, if you can afford to do so). We currently subscribe or have memberships at: Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre; Broadway in Hollywood/Pantages Theatre; Pasadena Playhouse; The Soraya, and 5-Star Theatricals. We’re looking for the right intimate theatre to subscribe at — it hasn’t been the same since Rep East died (it’s now The Main, and although it does a lot of theatre, it doesn’t have seasons or a resident company), and post-COVID, most 99-seaters aren’t back to doing seasons (or seasons we like). I used to do more detailed writeups; here’s my current approach.
Upcoming ♦ Theatre / ♣ Music / ◊ Other Live Performance – Next 90ish Days (⊕ indicates ticketing is pending).
- October: ♦ ha ha ha ha ha ha at Pasadena Playhouse
- November: ♦ Jaja’s African Hair Braiding at CTG/Taper; ♦ Paranormal Activity at CTG/Ahmanson; ♦ Suffs at BIH/Pantages;
- December: ◊ ACSAC Conference; ♣ Ben Platt: Live at the Ahmanson at CTG/Ahmanson; ♣ Nochebuena: A Christmas Spectacular at The Soraya; ♦ Stereophonic at BIH/Pantages;
- January: ♦ The Notebook at BIH/Pantages; ♦ All the Devils Are Here at The Broad;
This entry was originally posted on Observations Along the Road as Resistance and Protest in T. O. | "Hairspray" @ 5-Star Theatricals by cahwyguy. Although you can comment on DW, please make comments on original post at the Wordpress blog using the link to the left. You can sign in with your LJ, DW, FB, or a myriad of other accounts. Note: Subsequent changes made to the post on the blog are not propagated by the SNAP Crossposter; please visit the original post to see the latest version. P.S.: If you see share buttons above, note that they do not work outside of the Wordpress blog.