Hairspray
Awards and Recognition
- Winner of 8 Tony Awards
- Winner of 9 Drama Desk Awards
Reviewer Quotes
Broadway Stars
“ all-around sensational performances… a Hairspray quite spectacularly in a class by itself ”
StageSceneLA
Orange Curtain Review
You can’t stop the beat
Come experience the pure joy of music and uprising in this intimate retelling of the contemporary classic. Full-figured Tracy Turnblad only wants to dance–and dance she does, through her downtrodden neighborhood, through the harsh words of her schoolmates, and through the racial barriers dividing 1960’s Baltimore. Chance presents a closer, more personal look at this vivacious celebration of rock n’ roll, revolution, and love against all odds. You’ll leap out of your seat!
“The excitement, enthusiasm and energy of Hayter’s young cast – and of their characters – is positively infectious.” — Orange County Register
“As uproariously hilarious as the show is, at its core is a very poignant, thought-provoking narrative that’s essentially an open call for tolerance and acceptance.” — Broadway World
“Big, Bright and Beautiful… puts audience members in the center of the action with a more intimate staging of this vibrant celebration of rock n’ roll” — Broadway Stars
“Each performer in this production, directed by Kari Hayter, brings a delightful energy to the stage with excellent comedic timing, powerful vocals and impressive choreography by Kelly Todd and Christopher M. Albrecht.” — Orange Curtain Review
Venue Bette Aitken theater arts Center
- Full-Service Bar
- Free Parking
- Conveniently Located
See the show? Share your experience with us...
At a Glance
- Approximate Running Time:
- 2 hours, 30 minutes with intermission
- Special Notes:
-
- Contains mild suggestive content and some language
A wonderful production. Saw it in NYC years ago. Your production was more enjoyable because we felt we were in the show. The acting staff was professional quality, as was the orchestra. Loved the theatre. We’ll be back!
Hairspray was a great play @ Chance Theater. The small stage gave a nice ambiance of engagement with the cast and audience. All the actors/actresses did a phenomenal job in this performance. The Q&A with the cast in the end was a great touch. Overall, it was very entertaining, good storyline, and well produced. Bravo on a job well done!
We took our 7 yr old granddaughter who absolutely love the show. She couldn’t stop talking about it. She loved the dancing and music and especially loved dancing with a cast member at the end. We hope this will be the beginning of a love affair with theater. GREAT PRODUCTION!!!!!
The show was fabulous! No wonder there were added dates!
Joe Tish (Edna) was amazing. I’ve seen his work before, so that was a big draw for me! And, he did not fail!
Congratulations to the cast and crew! The whole production was a thrill to see!
We loved the new space and thought the production quality was fantastic! I love the size of the cast also and all the performers were very entertaining! Excited to see more there soon!!!
Enjoyed very much. The music direction was flawless. ONe of the best shows we.ve seen in a long time!! The cast was phenomenal.
High energy engagement from start to finish, without a moment wasted!
The Chance Theater has yet another winner! HAIRSPRAY is an absolute TRIUMPH!!!
What a blast! This show was incredibly entertaining. The singing and dancing were terrific and the actors are so much fun to watch. You’ll be up on your feet dancing by the end of the show! Its energy is that infectious.
Loved having the players all around me. Made me feel like I was in the production. Completely loved the entire experience.
Thank you
Phenomenal show! I was so impressed with the use of the space and up close and personal nature of the performance. Feeling the energy of the performers made this an incredibly personal experience! I am sold on Chance Theatre, the music,dancing and acting were superb.
We were blown away at the production of Hairspray! We have never been to you theater, so we had no idea what to expect. It was amazing! The cast was extremely talented and the way the performance took place all around us was outstanding. It was hard to stay seated- we wanted to get up and dance!
Thank you, and we will be referring our friends to future shows!
My wife and attended Hairspray last Friday night, and we both agree that it was one of the best productions we have ever seen. Can’t wait to see your other shows.
I’ve seen it twice. Took people with me both times. We ALL LOVED it!!!! ALL the performers are AWESOME!!
The production was superb, and the highlights were numerous! The Chance keeps bringing high quality entertainment to us. The single most stand-out memory for me was watching how Penny/Sarah Pierce grew her character from the awkward girl to the fully developed character. And Sara can PERFORM! Loved watching her.
This was my first time attending this theater. I loved that everything is done so close to you! Loved, loved, loved the production of “Hairspray”! The whole cast was amazing! So much energy! Looked like they were really enjoying themselves!
I belong to several “senior citizens groups” and this would be a wonderful way to enjoy ourselves!
Thank you so much for all the hard work that was put into producing such an uplifting, and informative piece of art!
I absolutely loves the authenticity in the characters, both leads and ensemble, throughout the whole show! Having danced myself I could tell where there were moments when the choreographer told them to improvise, and I was very impressed by each person’s ability to use find their own groove and energy, both in those dances and as their characters throughout the story. It was a wonderful production, where each actor found their own truth. I especially loved the relationship between Seaweed and Penny, the Dynamites’ dynamics, and the male authority figure’s varied characters.
this was our 1st visit. not our last. play was really great. 5th time we saw this.best performance.ever. super cast.
Enjoy the energy of this play…. cast members were fabulous and so very talented. Thank you for a fine production and look forward to our next visit later this month.
I had a great time, it was my first time at the theater. It was easy to find and the seats were very comfy.
It was great to see a show with a real band and not canned music, it made a big difference. The cast was great and every one very much a pro at what they were doing and so full of energy. You could see that they really had a great time preforming. I can’t wait to come see another show. You have a new fan.
Not only was it fun and high energy, the staging made you feel like you were right in the middle of the show. By the end, we could not wait to get on our feet and start dancing. Well done!
This was an absolutely GREAT performance! Loved every minute of it! The cast and production team worked so hard to make it such a success!! I prefer musicals, so please keep me posted on any upcoming musicals; I’ll be back!!
I loved it, as did everyone in our party. The immersive design was brilliant. We weren’t merely watching the play from close-up, we were actually on stage with the actors throughout!
And it was a very funny, yet very moving play. The story line lingers in my mind and is, frankly, a very much currently needed reminder of how to be with those around us who seem to be different in a humane and intelligent way.
You fully met and exceeded all of my expectations. Thank you.
My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed the show. It was exciting and at the end we were up and dancing. A great show . The music and the excitement of the cast was great.
This was my first experience with the CHANCE THEATER & HAIRSPRAY. A dear friend treated me to Hairspray for my birthday & what a great gift it was! I had never seen Hairspray & didn’t know what to expect. I absolutely loved it. Loved the production & LOVED, LOVED, LOVED Edna! The cast was great but the musicians were phenomenal!
At first, I was disappointed that almost all of the best seats were reserved but we chose two seats in the back row in the corner, stage left, & that turned out (I felt) to be perfect!
Amazing, interactive performance with a marvelous cast that made me tape toes & want to join in.
My 1st show…..fantastic! Great venue, I will be coming again. Not a bad seat in the house.
This was one of the most fun performances I’ve seen – everyone was superb. The two that played the parents, Joe Tish and the man who played the husband were outstanding. The duet they performed near the end of the musical was “over the top”!
A really exciting and superlative production. I can’t decide whether or not it exceeded “Westside Story”! There wasn’t a dull moment. I felt like I was in a Broadway theater watching the season’s hit show. Every member of the great cast was truly tops; the staging was, as always, uniquely creative, and the energetic band a joy to hear.
There were 8 of us in attendance on July 24 and we all loved it!! I was particularly so glad my grandchildren (ages 13, 12 and 6) were with us when the 3 high school girls in the play responded to their mothers, who kept saying “No.” Of course, the themes of tolerance and acceptance were wonderfully rendered. And I’m always impressed with your large company choreography. Thanks for another outstanding production! P.S. I’ve recommended the show to my sister, who will attend with two of her high school grandkids.
Amazing! One of the best Chance offerings ever.
The quality of acting, dancing, singing, and band were absolutely the best.
I loved every minute, and I congratulate you in advance for all the awards the Chance is going to garner !
All I have to say is that it was AMAZING! I love every minute of it, I always heard about the movie but I had never watched it. Watching the production had me smiling the whole time! There are no words to describe this show, it was just simply incredible.
The theater was nice and intimate and I absolutely loved this production. Great cast, well acted, beautifully danced. I loved it.
It was a really good production of Hairspray. Zoe was awesome.
We loved the production!!! The perfomer’s were exceptional!! Love the stage setup!! The staff is extremely helpful and courteous!! We will definitely be back for another production!!
The show was spectacular. The talent of the cast was truly amazing. Everyone needs to see this show.
We loved the show! You made astonishingly great use of the small space. The actors were all very much in the moment of the action at all times. The energy level was especially good because this play takes a lot of energy. There was never any “relaxing.”
I meant to add a couple other standout performers to my last ‘share’, including Jordan Goodsell who was the charmer as Corny Collins, the ever smooth Xavieer J. Watson as Seaweed and the spicy Camryn Zelinger playing the very difficult part of Velma. Imagine having to say all of those horrible lines to friends and colleagues?!!! She does it believable, which makes apparent the quality of actor she embodies!! Congrats to ALL!!
Once again, Chance Theater out does themselves!! The Chance production of Hairspray is colorful, energetic, and accessible! Casting was spot on from the effervescent Tracy (immersed into Taylor Hartsfield) to the sweet and sassy, Edna (deftly portrayed by Joe Tish), to the perky, awkward Penny (charming Sarah Pierce)! So many of the leads fit the billing as they sang and danced their way through the desegregation movement of the 60’s. The biggest surprise to me was the maturity of Motormouth being played by the youthful LaJoi Whitten!! There is activity surrounding the audience, truly enveloping us with the sights and sounds of this amazing production!! Such a happy treat! Chance does it again!!!
I couldn’t stop smiling and laughing; what a treat!
My husband and I attended the Musical and loved every minute of it. We have lived in Anaheim Hills for 31 years and never attended a production at the Chance Theater. A neighbor told me about the Hairspray production and said we should try it., well, it was just wonderful and I loved all the actors and they did a fantastic job. I want to attend more plays at this neighborhood theater and I hope you keep me involved, so that we know what is happening in the future. I feel that there is not enough advertisement for this wonderful theater. No one knows about what is happening in that small, but great theater. So glad we attended and I hope we can go again.
I thought it was wonderful. It was one of the best performances I think I have seen so far at your theater.
Congratulations to everyone involved it was amazing.
It was a wonderful, high-energy performance. The vocal talent of the entire cast was incredible. Loved it. But then we always do!!
Very energetic. Always amazed at the level of talent. Just overall fun experience. Timely because of the current race issues in the news. Shows how anyone can make a difference and entertain at the same time.
This production follows the basic plot line of the familiar and beloved movie, but is much more than the sum of its parts. There are some very charming songs I hadn’t heard before and some of the characters are refreshingly slightly different and a little more complex than in the movie (a good thing, even for this social commentary play disguised as fun fluff). But, most of all the immediacy made possible by a smaller theater, the incredible choreography, dancing and energy of the entire cast, the colors and the staging fully draw the audience into a wonderfully immersive experience that the movie version, as fun as it was, cannot possibly match. Even with it’s very valuable social commentary it is a hugely enjoyable production that is an absolute delight. It is a happy experience. Go see it.
The production would do credit to any stage in the world! The choreography was amazing and the performances were near perfect. The use of the space is an unexpected surprise. The Chance did it again! Thank you!
As usual, the Chance puts on an amazing performance with a talented cast! Love Sarah’s performance as my namesake!
I thought Hairspray was awesome! It was the best play I have ever seen! I wish I could afford to see it again because I would! Wonderful acting and singing. I loved every part of the play. Everyone did a great job!
We really enjoyed the Hairspray production with its outstanding cast of singers and dancers. Tracy & Edna were particularly entertaining with their energy and delivery. The play was funny and touching and a delight to watch!
LOVED the staging. Choreography, casting was perfect! Just an amazing show. Really enjoyed the use of the theater – having actors all around really did draw in the audience. My favorite version of Hairspray ever. Congrats to the whole cast, the dancing and energy was incredible. You brought out lots of laughs and emotions. Really enjoyed how you told the story. Even the small prop details were excellent and effective (ie the see through TV’s, the boxes of albums when in the studio, etc.). And the costumes were great too. The entire show was fun, energetic, and 200% entertaining. I’ve been telling everyone to get tickets. Congratulations to all.
Very good production of Hairspray. Whoever did the casting did a fabulous job.
The show overall was amazing! I loved how the stage was three quarter round and the choreography with this stage was really fun to watch. Having the dancers behind us as in front of us made it feel very personal! Very fun and great music
I saw HAIRSPRAY on Broadway and at The Segerstrom Center for the Arts. The Chance’s production is as good or better, thanks to the abundant talent of the performers, choreographers, and everyone else involved in this audience-friendly production. Sitting steps away from the action -due to the “in the round” set up of the theatre – makes one feel like an integral a part of The Corny Collins Show and all of the other shenanigans that take place in HAIRSPRAY. The sheer fun of the 60’s, coupled with the social issues addressed so eloquently by the writers and producers, makes HAIRSPRAY an entertaining and valuable piece of art that will remain relevant for years to come. GO SEE HAIRSPRAY! Welcome to the 60s !!
Thank you for mounting a show with a cast of 29 people plus a LIVE BAND! Thank you for using the space in the theater so creatively. Every lead performer was stunning. I saw Hairspray on Broadway in 2009 and didn’t really like the show–but I was captivated by this performance. Bravo!
HAVE DRIVEN FROM LAS VEGAS 2 TIMES TO SEE PLAY AND PLANNING ON COMING BACK. EVERYONE WAS GREAT LOVED THE MUSIC AND ENERGY OF ALL THE ACTORS. GREAT GREAT PLAY.
Your production of Hairspray was awesome, way beyond what I expected. Starting with a great book and score, your large cast was talented and enthusiastic. I often spend big bucks to see musicals in Irvine and downtown L.A. that are more perfect and showy but less charming. I can’t remember the last time I was so happy sitting in a theatre.
My SECOND time seeing the performance of Hairspray at The Chance Theater!
This show is absolutely amazing and LOADED with talent!
I’ve done nothing but rant and rave on how FANTASTIC it is!
Spectacular people both on stage and off! I may be back ft or Round 3!
Continued Blessings!
“You can’t stop the beat!”…Run and tell that!
#hairsprayfan4ever
Hairspray was one of your best performances I have attended at Chance Theater. The singing, dancing, and stage production were the best. Keep musicals happening at your theater.
I have never been to a live musical before, and had my doubts at first.
By the end of the show I wanted nothing more than to do it all over again. The cast was amazing on stage and face to face. The vibe was so joyful and bright.
Hope to come again some time!
It was the best musical I’ve ever seen. Tremendous energy and the performers looked like they were having a great time also. Well done.
This was the first production I have seen at the Chance Theater and it was probably one of the best experiences I’ve had. The cast was energized and fun, and the atmosphere was great. The musicians were also great! Kudos to the band!
There is truly NOTHING negative I found in your wonderful production of this classic. To say I was surprised at the talent of the characters, seemingly flawless direction of the scenes, the inspired costuming, and awesome music performed, would be an understatement. My face hurt from grinning throughout (except in the touching parts and then I was teary). Imagine, Broadway right here in River City! Or Orange County, that is!
We thoroughly enjoyed this production. The lead role was near “perfectly” cast and all performers were wonderful. One noted favorite was the parents number which was absolutely memorable. Of course I have a favorite….the “vixens” mother. I have seen her in a number of other performances. She did not let me down!
Surprised at the small theater and sparing scenery when we first came in… but did not make a difference the talent and staging was so great it was amazing
I really enjoyed the performance! I attended the first preview night. The cast was WONDERFUL! Phenomenal talent!! I live in Las Vegas and am hoping to see it again before it closes. I’m spreading the word to go see “HAIRSPRAY” @ The Chance Theater! Hats off to a FANTASTIC production!
When I first entered your theatre-in-the-round, I couldn’t imagine how you were going to be able to pull off Hairspray…but I was happily surprised! I did not miss the lack of sets or a traditional stage, AT ALL! Bravo. All the actors were fabulous and the choreography was wonderful. I thoroughly enjoyed the show and found myself smiling during every scene.
A delightful production; kudos to the director.
The cast was so energetic and committed to their characters. I enjoyed the use of the entire theater, not just the stage in front of the audience but the aisles between and behind the the audience. It drew me into the play; it creatively eliminated the 4th wall.
The songs were terrific. Taylor Hartsfield brought such enthusiasm to her character, Tracy. For a second I thought she was Ethyl Merman reincarnated. Joe Tish and Robin Walton were wonderful as husband and wife. They complemented one another very nicely and their duet in the second act was endearing and captured the characters’ profound love for one another. I also found Sarah Pierce’s performance as Penny enthralling in that she took her character from a demure yet spunky friend of Tracy’s, to “I am woman, hear me roar”. And this from a recent high school graduate. I also thought that LaJoi Whitten’s, Motormouth, solos were inspirational. She sang with such conviction and emotion; she captured the tenor of the times.
I walked out of this production on cloud nine.
Your best production yet. Should be a sell out every night.
Opening night…….no glitches that I was aware of. Excellent program. Fabulous dancing, singing, etc, etc, etc. loved every minute. Made me want to dance! Loved the touch of burlesque too. Look forward to more of Chance productions. This was a gem.