The musical Hairspray is a really big deal for Moonglow Productions.
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The show will be staged at WIN Entertainment Centre – the biggest venue the company has used. The audience will also be bigger – each show can seat 1300 people. And the cast is 60-strong – and that’s not including the 15-piece band.
Director Wendy Glover said there was not much that was small about the production.
‘‘Everything is on a much bigger scale – the size of the cast, the set, the costumes, the wigs and the sound and, obviously, you’ve got a lot more seats to fill.’’
Glover said the show really needed to be performed in a big venue to do it justice.
‘‘We could have done it in a more traditional theatre, but I think because of the huge dance numbers and the quick-moving script, it really lends itself to a bigger space,’’ she said.
‘‘Some musicals don’t work as well in a big space, they need that intimate theatre style, so it’s something we really had to think about.’’
The musical is about teen Tracy Turnblad scoring a chance to dance on the popular Corny Collins Show on TV. Thanks to her dance moves, she becomes an overnight celebrity and uses that new-found fame to push to integrate the show and include black dancers.
‘‘It’s such a wonderful musical,’’ Glover said.
‘‘It’s got great songs and dance numbers and a really funny script.
‘‘Kids love it because it’s so bright and happy, but it appeals to adult audiences as well because it does have that social commentary element.
‘‘It is really a story about the social and racial injustices in the US in the 1960s, but it’s told in such a beautiful, thoughtful way.
‘‘All the characters have been so well-crafted as well and they all work really well together.’’
In a move that shows the depth of talent in the region, all 60 cast members are from the Illawarra.
‘‘That’s always been really important to us,’’ Glover said.
‘‘We really want to provide a space for local talent to perform. There is such a wealth of theatre in the Illawarra and we are rich in talent, so it’s fantastic to be able to give all these awesome performers a space to show off their skills.
‘‘We’ve been really lucky to have such a talented, motivated and positive cast.’’
Friday’s show is at 7.30pm with Saturday performances at 2pm and 7.30pm. Tickets are available from Ticketek.
