Laura and Samara spend their days as non-profit unicorns and fill every spare minute exploring the world of musical theatre as BFFs (that’s Broadway Friends Forever). Follow @bffs613 on X, Instagram and Facebook.
Good morning, Ottawa! Get ready to groove to a brand-new sound with Broadway Across Canada’s production of Hairspray on stage at the National Arts Centre until November 19. Hairspray tells the story of Tracy Turnblad and her big dreams to dance her way onto the most popular show in 1960s Baltimore.
You might be familiar with the Hairspray movies or the live television performance from a few years ago, but there’s nothing like seeing it on stage! The orchestra, the costumes swirling in front of you, the atmosphere and energy of the audience… it all comes together wonderfully for this show as we follow the highs and lows of Tracy singing and dancing her way into changing the world.
The cast of Hairspray. Photo: Jeremy Daniel.
The cast packs a powerful punch with some excellent performers who are genuine triple threats—dancing, singing and acting. We especially loved Caroline Eiseman as Tracy, Josiah Rogers as Seaweed, and Scarlett Jacques as Penny. A strong ensemble with wonderful costuming, sets, and of course the songs, really transports the audience to the ’60s.
True to the original John Waters film, the show doesn’t take itself too seriously and leans into the camp of the story. Though there are many light-hearted songs and moments of comedy, the show has themes of racial inequality, which are sadly still relevant today. It shows the power of people coming together to push social movements forward, sticking to morals and a sense of what is right and just – even if you’re not successful right away. To us, that’s one of the powerful things about the arts and musicals—we can explore topics and themes within broader stories and be entertained simultaneously.
You definitely can’t stop the beat of this show, so be sure to grab your tickets before it’s too late. Hairspray will entertain you, make you think and leave you with toe-tapping hummable earworms.
Hairspray runs from November 14 to 19 at the National Arts Centre. Evening performances are at 8pm, except Sunday at 7:30pm. Matinees are on Saturday at 2pm and Sunday at 1pm. The show runs for 2 hours and 30 minutes with an intermission. Tickets start at $51.50.
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