Countryside Community Theatre's “Hairspray" at the North Scott High School Fine Arts Auditorium -- July 25 through August 3.
Friday, July 25, through Sunday, August 3
North Scott High School Fine Arts Auditorium, 200 South First Street, Eldridge IA
Lauded by the New York Times as a "fresh, winning, and deliriously tuneful" musical that's "as sweet as a show can be without promoting tooth decay," the Tony-winning Broadway sensational Hairspray closes Countryside Community Theatre's 2025 summer season with the show's July 25 through August 3 run, this stage sensation also praised by Variety as a "sweet, infinitely spirited, bubblegum-flavored confection" that "more than lives up to its promise."
As this stage version of John Waters'1988 cult comedy begins, it’s 1962 in Baltimore, Maryland, and quirky, plus-sized teenager Tracy Turnblad has one dream: to dance on The Corny Collins Show. When she gets put in detention with the African-American students in the school, they teach her some of their dance moves, and her fearless groove wins her a spot on Corny’s program. Overnight, Tracy transforms from a nobody into a star, and uses her newfound influence to advocate for racial integration. Hairspray's heroine, however, faces scrutiny and bullying from the network producer Velma and her popular yet vicious daughter Amber. With the help of the teenage heartthrob Link and record-shop owner Motormouth Maybelle, Tracy must overcome the odds in order to succeed in her mission to integrate The Corny Collins Show, and her journey results in a bright, energetic story as the teen reminds us to look past the color of one’s skin and fight for every human being’s equal rights.
With its music by Marc Shaiman and lyrics by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman and its book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan, Hairspray boasts a number of show tunes that have become recognizable staples of musical theatre, among them "Good Morning, Baltimore,” “The Nicest Kids in Town,” “Welcome to the '60s,” “Mama, I'm a Big Girl Now,” and the peppy dance classic “You Can't Stop the Beat.” In 2003, Hairspray won eight Tony Awards, including one for Best Musical, out of 13 nominations, and went on to run for 2,642 performances, finally closing in January of 2009.
Making their Countryside co-directing debuts with Hairspray are show choreographer Steph Bley, whose previous productions include The Drowsy Chaperone and Something Rotten!, and Keenen Wilson, whose 2024 stage appearances included roles in Quad City Music Guild's Kinky Boots and the Mockingbird on Main's To Kill A Mockingbird. With Vivian Bonde serving as assistant director and stage manager, additional members of Bley's and Wilson's creative team include: music and pit-orchestra director John Whitson; assistant music director Curtis Fisher-Oelschlaeger; assistant choreographers Antoine Richmond, Bekah Riewerts, and Caroline Sieren; costume designer Liz King-Powers; lighting designer Kate Rohif; sound designer Valerie Moore; props master Kari Thoren; hair and wig designer Ashley Dekarske; producers Mary Beth Riewerts and Cade Simmons; and set-team members Kevin Hurley, Cade Simmons, and Savanna Picket.
Caroline Sieren, a veteran of Countryside's 2023 production of Footloose, portrays heroine Tracy Turnblad, with her parents Edna and Wilbur played by the popular Haus of Ruckus duo T. Green and Cal Vo. Music Guild favorite Rob Keech (Sweeney Todd, Little Shop of Horrors) plays TV host Corny Collins, and two dozen local talents complete the Hairspray ensemble: Marissa Bradford; Jack Carslake; Heather Foss; Camryn Hardaway; Ellerie Hurley; Kenneth Johnson; Dative Joy; Melena Knutsen; Ryenne Lacher; Saniya Mack; Kailee McCaw; Grace Mottet; Carter Owens; Marissa Pedersen; Peyton Reese; Bekah Riewerts; Reece Riewerts; Mia Roldan; Micah Roldan; John Rowe; Cameron Shumpert; Yolanda Washington; Charleigh Weatherspoon; Keith KJ Wright.
Countryside Community Theatre's Hairspray runs at Eldridge's North Scott High School Fine Arts Auditorium July 5 through August 3, with performances Fridays and Saturdays at 7 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. Admission is $20, and more information and tickets are available by visiting CountrysideQC.org.
