Seattle Musical Theatre presents Hairspray November 11 to December 11

“Welcome to the 60’s!” with this riotous explosion of love, laughter and a heartfelt exploration of what makes us all human. The show opens in Baltimore, Maryland in 1962 with our “pleasantly plump” hero, Tracy Turnblad, dreaming of fame, love and her desire to dance on The Corny Collins show. When Tracy wins a role on the show, she becomes an overnight celebrity and her dreams morph into something bigger – integrating the show. But society - led by the devious Amber Von Tussle and her racist stage mother, Velma – would dash those dreams, just as they would the dreams of all the “colored folk” across town. But fortunately, local heartthrob and TV dance show host, Link Larkin, along with beauty salon owner Motormouth Maybelle and her dancing kids, Seaweed and Little Inez, help Tracy create a new reality.

Hairspray opens November 11th and plays Friday through Sunday through December 11th. There will be no performances Thanksgiving weekend, however there will be one Thursday night offering on December 8th. Seattle Musical Theatre (formerly Civic Light Opera) is conveniently located in Magnuson Park, at 7120 62nd Ave NE . Parking is free and plentiful with several excellent restaurants located nearby on Sand Point Way, Northgate and University Village. Tickets are $35-$40 with special rates for seniors, students and group rates Tickets can be purchased online   or by calling the box office at 206-363-2809.

While Hairspray is hilarious, it is the issues surrounding segregation that are at the core of the story. Director Vincent Orduna appropriately tells this poignant story from inside a television studio utilizing “America’s budding love affair with television and rock ‘n roll in the 60’s which helped change and shape the cultural relationships of this country”. Orduna and the Hairspray team profoundly address the discrimination of the time by exposing the ludicrousness of the concept “that we can live separately from one another”. Tracy simplifies it best when she says; “I just think it’s stupid we can’t all dance together”.

Hairspray is written by Mark O’Donnel and Thomas Meehan and is based on the 1988 John Waters film.