At this point, it’s safe to say “Hairspray” has earned its place as a modern musical theater classic.
Based on underground writer/director John Waters’ 1988 foray into PG-rated mainstream fare, “Hairspray” the musical enjoyed a run of more than six years on Broadway and won eight Tony Awards, including best musical, book, score and direction. It has since been re-adapted for the big screen in 2007, staged live on NBC in 2016 and reworked as “Hairspray Jr.” for high schools. It’s also long since become a touring favorite and big draw for regional productions.
Set in 1962 Baltimore, “Hairspray” follows plus-size teen Tracy Turnblad (Caroline Eiseman) and her attempts to not only appear as a dancer on the afternoon teenage dance TV program “The Corny Collins Show,” but to replace its once-a-month “Negro Day” with a fully integrated show where teens of all colors share the same stage every day.
Those standing in Tracy’s way are her mother Edna (played as always by a man, Greg Kalafatas, in homage to the late drag queen Divine’s performance in the original film), “Corny Collins” producer Velma Von Tussle (Sarah Hayes) and Von Tussle’s daughter Amber (Caroline Portner), who sees herself as the show’s royalty alongside her boyfriend Link Larkin (Skyler Shields).
The touring version of “Hairspray” that opened Wednesday at St. Paul’s Ordway Center for the Performing Arts has plenty going for it, including the inventive staging, dazzling dance numbers, colorful costumes and a mostly strong ensemble cast.
Eiseman is a bit too chirpy and cartoonish as Tracy, and Kalafatas can’t help but be overshadowed by the man who played Edna at the show’s most recent local run in January 2023 at Minneapolis’ Orpheum Theatre. (That would be Andrew Levitt, who is best known for competing as Nina West in the 11th season of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” and winning Miss Congeniality in the process.)
Still, the infectious cheer of “Hairspray” along with its core goal of using the power of song and dance to celebrate inclusion and acceptance are enough to overlook a few weaknesses up front. This production, however, suffers from a serious — and fatal — flaw.
The key to any great musical is, well, the music. Songs aren’t just used as a diversion from the dialogue, they actively advance the plot and offer insights into the motivations and emotions of the characters on stage. In many ways, “Hairspray” serves as a textbook example of how to expertly incorporate music and text to create the unique and magical entertainment known as musical theater.
The problem at the Ordway was an utterly botched sound mix that made it near impossible to hear the words of the songs. In all but the quietest numbers, the booming orchestra drowned out the lyrics, with only Kalafatas and Deidre Lang’s Motormouth Maybelle able to occasionally break through the noise. And this is a show stuffed with in-song gags and references that got buried under so much bluster.
It’s possible it was just opening night tech problems, although the sound issues didn’t improve as the show marched forward. Perhaps the crew was rattled after Tuesday’s opening night performance was canceled due to the need to replace damaged lighting equipment.
Whatever the case, this “Hairspray” will leave the show’s veteran audience members disappointed and, I imagine, newcomers utterly confused.
‘Hairspray’
When: Through March 17
Where: Ordway Music Theater, 345 Washington St., St. Paul
Tickets: $165-$45 via 651-224-4222 or ordway.org
Capsule: This “Hairspray” is a hairdon’t.
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