Footlights: WSU ready to roll out ‘Hairspray’

Theatre also planning to  stage ‘Rent.’

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By Terry Morris, Staff Writer 12:00 PM Sunday, October 23, 2011

Wright State University Theatre is like a corner of Broadway these days.

One big musical, “Hairspray,” is ready to go up, starting Thursday.

Rehearsals have also begun for another big production, “Rent,” which opens in January.

The first order of business is the campus season’s first musical, which is in the capable hands of director Joe Deer and choreographer Teressa McWilliams, who is fresh from a sabbatical.

“Hairspray” ran in New York for six years and won eight Tony Awards in 2003, including best musical.

It’s set in 1962 Baltimore and has songs including “Good Morning Baltimore,” “I Can Hear the Bells” and “You Can’t Stop the Beat.”

WSU’s cast includes Beth Conley as Tracy Turnblad, Drew Helton as Edna Turnblad, Ian DeVine as Link Larkin, Nikki Nathan as Amber Von Tussle, Melissa Hall as Penny Pingleton, Kylie Santoro as Velma Von Tussle, Casey Jordan as Wilbur Turnblad, Aziza Macklin as Motormouth Maybelle, Deshawn Bowens as Seaweed Stubbs and Dani Cox as Little Inez.

Based on the 1988 film by John Waters, the stage musical “Hairspray” by Marc Shaiman, Scott Wittman, Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan spawned a film-musical version in 2007.

Performances are at  7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 2, 3 and 10; 8 p.m. Oct. 28, 29, Nov. 4, 5, 11 and 12; and 2 p.m. Oct. 30, Nov. 5, 6, 12 and 13. Tickets are $20 for adults, $18 for students and seniors. Call (937) 775-2500.

Bit parts

• Current attraction at Town Hall Theatre, 27 N. Main St., Centerville, is “Gooney Bird Greene and Her True Life Adventures,” based on the book by Lois Lowry. Brittany Hayden-Hinkle is directing the Landmark Children’s Theatre production, which features Veronica Seguin and Ashley Stamp in alternating performances as Gooney Bird. Amy Brooks is Ms. Pidgeon.

Times are 7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 3 p.m. Sundays, through Nov. 6. Tickets are $15 for adults, $13 for students and $10 for children 12 and under. Running time 70 minutes and the show is recommended for ages 4 and up. Call (937) 433-8957 or go to townhalltheatre.org.

• The Northmont High School Drama Club will present “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 3 and 4 and 2:30 p.m. Nov. 5 at the Northmont Community Auditorium, 4916 National Road, Clayton. Kay Bosse is director.

General admission tickets are $5. In support of Northmont FISH, a food pantry, audience members can bring canned goods or other non-perishable items for discounted admission. Call (937) 832-6622.

• “Georgia,” a comedy drama by Patricia Woods, will be presented at 4 p.m. Saturday at the Calumet Lifestyle Center, 580 Calumet Lane, Dayton. The joint production is by the Friends and Company Book Club, the Calumet Center and Residence in Praise Fine Arts Center. Tickets are $10 for general admission, $2 for those with developmental disabilities and $5 for children under 12. Dinner is also available for $5. Call (937) 837-9290, (937) 854-3500, (937) 671-4638 or visit residenceinpraisefineartscenter.org.

Footlights illuminates local theater news and audition  information. Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2377 or tmorris@DaytonDaily News.com.

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