Collins Road Theater

'Hairspray' showcases big voices, small set charm

The stage lights center on a short, plump girl with big hair waking up in her bed. As her bedroom transforms into the sidewalks of Baltimore, she sings about greeting the city in her sassy soprano voice. Her larger-than-life personality resonates throughout the small theater. 


Saturday marked the opening night of “Hairspray” at ZACH Theatre . Directed by Dave Steakley, the energetic musical centers around the themes of love, racial equality and self-acceptance told through the plight of aspiring TV dancer personality Tracy Turnblad.


The play is set in 1960s Baltimore, where big girl Tracy Turnblad (Brooke Shapiro) lives with her mother Edna, performed in drag by Brian Coughlin; and her father Wilbur (Scotty Roberts). The story picks up when Tracy, with the support of her best friend Penny Pingleton (Christine Tucker), decides to cut class and go to the set of the Corny Collins’ TV show and audition for the open dancer position on the show. 


After being laughed off set by the show’s closed-minded producer, Velma Von Tussle (Jill Blackwood) and her daughter, the show’s star Amber (Sara Burke), Tracy slinks back to her regular life feeling discouraged. She receives some encouragement in detention from a new friend, Seaweed J. Stubbs (Joshua Denning). 


The musical takes on the racial tension of the 1960s in a simplified way. While Tracy is finally receiving the teen-idolized fame she always dreamed of, it doesn’t seem quite as important if she can’t dance alongside her African American friends on the show. She represents the new ideas of a younger generation untouched by the prejudices of the past. Although this is a lighthearted celebration of an important breakthrough in the American Civil Rights movement, it’s clear there is still a ways to go.


For those who have seen the movie, the live performance at ZACH Theatre is a completely different experience. There is a slightly more mature edge, with a bevy of comically risque side comments. It’s nothing crude or obvious enough to detract from its family friendliness, but definitely something to take into account. The removal of all cinematic elements makes the musical feel more personal and lends itself to the small audience interactions impossible on the big screen.


The set is largely scaled down from that of the touring Broadway show. Because the theater has a limited amount of stage space, the use of props is minimal, with only the necessary elements on stage. For instance, in the opening scene, “Good Morning Baltimore,” instead of completely transforming into the busy, dirty ’60s streets of Baltimore, the chorus of city dwellers popped out from behind Tracy’s bed.

Ride the Divide Movie, Collins Road Theatre, 3/17, 7PM

Is an inspiring journey about the world’s toughest mountain bike race, which traverses over 2700 miles along the Continental Divide in the Rocky Mountains. The film weaves the story of three characters’ experiences with immense mountain beauty and small-town culture as they attempt to pedal from Banff, Canada to a small, dusty crossing on the Mexican border.

A portion of the proceeds will benefit LAMBA. LAMBA has been instrumental in developing great singletrack mountain bike trails in the Cedar Rapids area, with plans to expand the network of trails even more.

Your ticket purchase will get you a great evening of entertainment, a chance for door prizes at the screening and the satisfaction of knowing that you are helping out a great group of cyclists.

A local guy, Thomas Santacroce, participated in this event and can attest to how grueling the ride is.

This event is being brought to you by Hall Bicycle Company .

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