The musical “Hairspray” may look and sound like a cotton-candy neon dream with its bountiful beehives and bombastic songs, but under that sweet outer shell there’s a hard-hitting message about radical selflove and acceptance that means something to a lot of people.
“I have never been part of a show — and I’ve done a lot of tours now — that has made the audience scream like this one, and that is because it is so relevant,” said Emmanuelle Zeesman, who plays Prudy Pingleton. “It makes everyone furious that it is so relevant. We’ve come a way towards just accepting people for who they are, and what’s important is on the inside, which is our hearts. People need that so much. People are yearning for it. That’s why people need to scream and cry and cheer during this show because we still have so far to go.”
Like many audience members who find inspiration from “Hairspray,” Zeesman said she also relates to the show’s main character, Tracy Turnblad, who is a model for self love and acceptance.
“I saw [Hairspray] in high school and it changed everything,” Zeesman said. “I’m a person who has struggled with obesity. I’d never seen someone who looked like me on stage. I was able to lose weight because I was just trying to be healthy for myself. ‘Hairspray’ was a big part of that.”
In addition to being socially significant for addressing prejudice related to race and body type, “Hairspray” entertains. It’s upbeat, fast-paced and funny, packed with catchy musical numbers and splashy costumes and sets.
“My hope for the audience is that they can come in and experience whatever they need to experience right now,” Zeesman said. “There are so many themes in this show that it can reach everyone.”
“Hairspray” opens at the Bass Concert Hall, 2350 Robert Dedman Dr. in Austin, on Tuesday, June 13 and will run Tuesday through Friday at 8 p.m.; Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m.; and on Sunday at 1 and 7 p.m. Tickets start at $35 and are available at texasperformingarts. org and BroadwayinAustin.com,
