Hairspray: Feel-Good! - Emmanuel Edebiri

 Hairspray: Feel-Good!

Emmanuel Edebiri

Hairspray is a feel-good musical: it's comedic, witty, and has great music. Did I mention it's anti-segregation? How progressive! Hairspray instills a very deep, profound meaning throughout the show. I think the phrase, “I’d make every day negro day,” exemplifies this theme of racial equity the most. But, let’s be honest, who is this show made for? Is the history of segregation and racial hate addressed as a means to encourage others to never commit those atrocities again – or are the sufferings of black people used as comedy for a white audience to laugh at? Hairspray has its funny moments, I can attest to that, but as a black person in the audience I didn't see many others who looked like me laughing at the racial comments.

Hairspray was written by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan, two white writers, so from the get-go black voices were never involved or highlighted in the show’s production. Black struggle remains a source of comedic relief in this musical, and any mediocre attempts to accurately highlight injustice are used so the musical can say, "Hey! At least we said something about it. Now we can feel good about ourselves." To add on top of that, the director, Matt Lenz, is also white, making the issue of diversity lacking in the behind-the-scenes room more apparent. Did I mention that the executive producer, Trinity Wheeler, is also white? Is there a single black person involved in making important decisions?

The scenic design was well-crafted, its construction spearheaded by David Rockwell. The set has a distinct, retro 60’s vibe to it – but at times it felt almost high school. There is only so much variety you can get with predominantly 2D set pieces. The costumes, wigs, and hair were excellent. They never failed to immerse me in the idea that this show was taking place in the '60s: the cultural references, the color combinations, and the way that each piece accentuated a character's personality goes to show the work and dedication incorporated into designing such beautiful masterpieces. William Ivey Long, costume designer, and Paul Huntley and Bernie Ardia, working in wigs and hair, deserve every possible accolade for their successful efforts. 

If there is one thing Hairspray got right, it's "I Know Where I've Been." The large ensemble number, led by Motormouth Maybelle (played by Sandie Lee), is one of the best ways I could perceive a musical incorporating the truth and pain behind the 60's civil rights movement. It's a song that makes one wonder: how could we as a nation have ever allowed such destruction and denial of humanity? 

Hairspray has its faults, truly, it has many, but it has a solid idea of what it is trying to attempt. Many musicals have been rewritten or edited over time in order to properly account for the mistakes or inadequacies their originals produced, and I believe that Hairspray is a musical that needs just this. It’s comedy, so it’s exaggerated, that is perfectly understandable; but when one is working on an already thin line due to dealing with humor pertaining to race, transphobia, and fatphobia, there may need to be a dialback in exaggeration. Hairspray is a feel-good musical, but I warn some audience members they may not feel good about how such sensitive topics are addressed.