‘Hairspray: The Musical’ takes stage
Published 12:07 am Saturday, July 15, 2017
- Jeremy Guidry stars as Edna Turnblad, while Abbie Shull plays lead Tracy Turnblad in ‘Hairspray: The Musical.’ (Lori Lyons/L’OBSERVATEUR)
RESERVE — Abbie Shull said she would classify herself as a singer, dancer then an actor.
In next week’s St. John Theatre production of “Hairspray: The Musical,” Shull will be all three, plus she will add choreographer to her list.
Shull was asked in November to choreograph the local group’s hefty production of the iconic Broadway hit.
As auditions began in April she began to contemplate taking on the lead role as well.
“I was like, can I? Really? Well, maybe,” Shull said.
Ultimately, it didn’t take much to convince her to become the eternally optimistic Tracy Turnblad, the oversized girl who leads a small racial revolution in her hometown of Baltimore.
“It’s a dream role,” Shull said. “If you’re a woman of a certain size, there’s not a lot of parts that are specifically written for you. Typically in musicals they want short, skinny girls. I’ve always been unable to play leading ladies.”
Director “Uncle” Wayne Daigrepont said more than 90 actors from throughout the region auditioned for the show.
Corinn Hovis plays best friend Penny Pingleton, while Jared Tregre portrays Seawead J. Stubs in ‘Hairspray.’ The musical runs July 21-23 and 26-29.
“We could have cast this show several times with the amount of talent we had,” he said. “It’s difficult in that it requires a large cast and an integrated cast, and we have been blessed beyond the human Earth to find. We have got the best of the best of the bunch.”
Taking on the traditionally gender-bending role Tracy’s mom, Edna Turnblad, is longtime local actor Jeremy Guidry.
Dennis Tauzin plays dad Wilbur, Corinn Hovis is best friend Penny Pingleton, Lance Ural is the suave Link Larkin, Warren Hovis is debonair Corny Collins, Madison Gerhart is Velma Von Tussel, Logan Tauzin is her daughter Amber Von Tussel, Rayina Johnson is Maybelle MotorMouth, Jared Tregre is Seawead J. Stubs and Amere Stewart is Little Inez.
Amere Stewart, playing Little Inez, and Rayina Johnson, playing Maybelle MotorMouth, take time out from rehearsals to pose for a picture.
Daigrepont heaped high praise on Shull and her many hats for this production.
“Abbie is the true core of the whole apple,” he said. “She choreographed the show, she’s the leader of gathering all the costumes and, oh, by the way, she’s the lead of the show.”
Shull, who has been dancing since the age of 3 and acting since she was 6, said the choreography role is the bigger challenge. She also choreographed St. Charles Catholic High School’s production of “High School Musical” earlier this year.
“I’ve been acting since I was 6 so I’m used to that,” she said. “I can do that. This is the biggest show I’ve ever done. Being in charge of a cast of 40 people and being in charge of the way a show looks is definitely daunting.”
She said she wants the production to maintain the style of the Broadway musical and the movie but still be unique.
“I’m going mainly off of the stage versions I’ve seen, but I’m bringing in a little of the movie’s choreography as well,” she said. “Plus there’s the 1960s dance style that everyone would recognize. I don’t want it to look like what everyone has seen before. I want it to be surprising and interesting. You want your ideas to be original.”
Director ‘Uncle’ Wayne Daigrepont is leading the show, which he said includes the best of a large audition pool that tried out for the musical.
The production will run July 21-23 and July 26-29 at St. John Theatre, 115 W. 4th St. in Reserve. All shows are at 7:30 p.m. except for the July 23 matinee at 2:30 p.m.
Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for senior citizens and $10 for children 12-under. Tickets may be purchased at the door, at stjohntheatre.com or in advance at Allied Express.
The cast of “Hairspray: The Musical” at St. John Theatre.
For more information please call SJT Managing Director, Crystal Faucheux at 504-676-4700.
