Students raise the roof with 'Hairspray JR.'

Students and staff at Regent High School are today celebrating their hugely successful production of Hairspray JR., with performances of West End standard. 

The 1950s are out, and change is in the air! Hairspray JR. is the family-friendly musical piled bouffant-high with laughter, romance and deliriously tuneful songs.  Adapted from the Broadway production that won eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Hairspray JR. is a show that will celebrate your students' diversity and bring audiences to their feet with its positive message and uproarious sense of humour.

It's 1962, and spunky, plus-size teen, Tracy Turnblad, has one big dream: to dance on the popular ‘Corny Collins Show’. When she finally gets her shot, she's transformed from social outcast to sudden star. In balancing her newfound power with her desire for justice, Tracy fights to dethrone the reigning Miss Teen Hairspray, Amber von Tussle, and integrate a TV network in the process. With the help of her outsized mom, Edna, and guest DJ, Motormouth Maybelle, the rhythm of Tracy's new beat just might prove unstoppable.

The Regent Theatre was transformed into 1950s Baltimore for the roof-raising production of Hairspray Jr.  The thirty-strong cast sang their hearts out, danced and acted to a full house for every performance.

All of the students – whether in the cast or crew – showed commitment, teamwork, dedication and, above all, confidence.  Performances were packed out with friends, family and local primary school pupils and teachers.  Audience feedback was fantastic, including ‘I was WOWED by the quality. Please tell the cast that they were BRILLIANT!’ from a primary school headteacher.

The show would not have run as smoothly as it did without the student crew, who were responsible for the lights, sound, microphones and scene changes.

Ms Troth, Head of Performing Arts at Regent High School, said ‘I am very proud of each and every student.  Putting on a show is so much more than ‘show night’ and every person plays such an important role.  I am very excited about the future.’

Music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, book by Thomas Meehan and Mark O’Donnell.  Hairspray JR. is based on the New Line Cinema Film written and directed by John Waters, by arrangement with MTI Europe.