Ryan ChartrandThe larger than life, award-winning Broadway musical “Hairspray” dances into the Cal Poly Performing Arts Center May 29 to 31.
“Hairspray,” based on the 1988 cult film by John Waters, opened on Broadway in August 2002 and has wowed crowds ever since.
The musical has won eight Tony Awards, The New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Musical, 10 Drama Desk Awards, all including Best Musical, and one Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album.
“Hairspray” follows aspiring dancer Tracy Turnblad in 1960s Baltimore. Turnblad, a big girl with equally big hair, wins a spot on a televised dance show.
Soon she is transformed into a celebrity but still has to battle the dance program’s teen queen, Amber Von Tussle, and win over resident hottie Link Larkin.
Like the turbulent decade it’s set in, “Hairspray” tackles the issues that plague its youth, such as the civil rights movement, segregation and interracial dating, as well as touching on a more modern issue: obesity.
The touring production of “Hairspray” is based on the original direction of Jack O’Brien and the original choreography of Jerry Mitchell. Waters also served as a creative consultant on the musical.
Coming out this summer is a remake of the “Hairspray” movie staring John Travolta, Christopher Walken, Michelle Pfeiffer, Queen Latifah, Amanda Bynes and “High School Musical” star and Arroyo Grande native Zac Efron.
John Travolta will be playing Edna Turnblad, Tracy Turnblad’s mother, a role that has traditionally been given to male actors since the musical opened.
In the dormitories, Cal Poly students were given a chance to see the musical for free by signing up for a lottery.
About three students from each dorm won tickets for themselves and a guest through the lottery, which was sponsored by Housing and Residential Life.
Five dollar student rush tickets might be available 30 minutes before the show, according to Lisa Woske, a Cal Poly Arts representative.
Students can find out if there will be rush tickets by visiting the Cal Poly Arts Web site from Friday until the performance dates, although the tour management has not yet authorized the student rush tickets.