The upcoming Upper School musical Hairspray will offer students the opportunity to witness a powerful message of racial justice and body positivity. Ms. Stephanie Simpson, the director and choreographer of Hairspray, said that the musical team “has been trying to be more intentional with the stories we want to tell and the impact that they will have within the community.”
Hairspray’s set, the Corny Collins Show, offers a glimpse into the severe discrimination against people of color in the 1960s while also illuminating the societal standards of a certain performer’s body type. The play focuses on Tracy Turnblad, a teenage girl who becomes a star on the Corny Collins Show and successfully advocates for racial integration on the show.
Since Hairspray’s release in 1988, it has often been viewed as a controversial musical because of the aforementioned topics that are highlighted in the play. “While the majority of the controversy in the musical is about race, the main character, Tracy, is overweight and so is her mom, so it is also a lot about body positivity and how she does not change herself to ‘get the guy’ and be successful,” Ms. Simpson explained. These issues are still very relevant today, so Hairspray brings these topics into our current discourse as a Riverdale community.
At Riverdale, the choice of Hairspray as this year’s musical has led to frequent discussion because of the musical team’s decision to cast mostly by race. “Hairspray calls for certain roles in a very diverse way with the people that we have at the school,” noted Ms. Simpson. Because the play deals with the issue of racial prejudices and discrimination, some members of the cast feel uncomfortable playing specific roles. According to junior Susan Chung, who plays the character Penny Pingleton, “The controversy around the musical pertains to me in a different sort of way in that I am half white and half South Korean so it is hard to find my place in a musical that is so black and white.”
Despite this controversy, the Riverdale musical team has taken adequate measures to work with the performers and make sure all cast members feel comfortable with their roles. According to Ms. Simpson, “There is always some anxiety around casting in general, but this brought another added element because race was involved.” Ms. Simpson approached this new challenge by holding all cast-member meetings that aimed to discuss the issues that this musical encounters.
“I understand where people are coming from in terms of their disagreement with the musical but we have discussions during the rehearsal process and educate ourselves surrounding the historical events during this time,” said Chung.
Additionally, potential cast members were required to fill out forms in which they marked the gender they were most comfortable playing and how they racially identify themselves. “All of the students who are cast on the white side, minus two, identify as being white. There are only two who were cast who don’t identify as being white, and we asked them if they felt comfortable with this, and they said ‘yes.’ Everyone playing a role originally played by an actor of color identifies as a student of color,” Ms. Simpson noted.
According to sophomore Sofia Egol, who plays the character Velma Von Tussle, “Hairspray is about overcoming the racial tension of the 1960s in this small scale in Baltimore and for the Corny Collins Show.” Hairspray demonstrates a victory in breaking down racial barriers and unrealistic societal standards.
However, it is important to note that the Buddy Deane Show, the real-life show on which the Corny Collins Show was based, did not successfully achieve racial integration. While Tracy Turnblad and her friends and family were successful in integrating the Corny Collins Show, “in real life, [The Buddy Deane Show’s producers] ended up having to shut the show down as a result of the controversy,” said freshman Harry Gallen, who plays the character Corny Collins. Egol explained that “[Thomas Meehan] decided to write Hairspray to present what they thought would show a better outcome. Hairspray tells a different narrative and shows a positive change.”
The members of the cast have been working hard every week to continue to improve their performance so that the profound message of fighting for equality is conveyed to the audience effectively. Egol elaborated, “The process of being in the musical is really fun, and everyone is very supportive and trying to make sure that the best performance happens.”
The rehearsal process involves practice after school from Monday through Friday every week. During the first few weeks of rehearsals, the performers learn the beginning stages of the music, stage numbers, acting scenes, and dances. “The people participating are very nice and talented. It feels like a very nice environment,” Gallen said. While rehearsing can sometimes feel stressful, Egol and Gallen agreed that having a supportive cast makes the process much more enjoyable.
The performances of Hairspray are on February 27, 28, and 29, so make sure to be there to support!
