Hairspray at Queen’s Hall

June 27, 2012:

Must Come See Productions (MCSP), the production arm of The University of the West Indies’ (UWI) Arts Chorale, presents the Broadway classic “Hairspray”.  The show will run at Queen’s Hall for two weeks, from Thursday 28th June to Sunday 8th July, 2012.

“Hairspray” is a celebration of 1960’s "downtown" rhythm and blues. It is a song and dance satire of the injustices dealt to parts of society during that time, and highlights themes of racial division and healing.

“Hairspray” features a talented cast and crew comprised of UWI Creative and Festival Arts luminaries. Patrons are poised to enjoy well-known Trinidad and Tobago actress Debra Boucaud-Mason as the incorrigible Velma Von Tussle, Adafih Padmore in the title role of Tracy Turnblad, Paula Hamilton as her arch-rival as Amber and Keegan Miguel as Edna Turnblad. Theatre veteran Jeremy Callaghan, St. Augustine Campus Registrar, portrays the high-blood pressured sponsor Harriman Spritzer.  Television actor, Kearn Samuel, and UWI postgraduate students, Justin Zephyrine and Maurice Rawlins, round off the cast.

UWI Head of Department of Creative and Festival Arts, Cacique award winner and “Hairspray” co-producer Jessel Murray, is set to conduct live orchestral, pop and “Motown” band accompaniment. Louis McWilliams, Coordinator of the Theatre Unit, will direct. Other artistic names include costume designer, Lyanna Brown; scenic designer, Dara Jordan-Brown; and Cacique award winning choreographer, Adele Bynoe, assisted by Jorge Morejón and Kimmy Stoute-Robinson. Make-up designer Steven Taylor, lighting designer Knolly Whiskey and sound designer Treldon Thompson, complete the team.

The opening of the “Hairspray” musical Broadway production won eight Tony Awards out of thirteen nominations and ran for over 2,500 performances. “Hairspray” has spawned a London West End production, U.S. national tours, and numerous foreign productions. The musical was even adapted for film in 2007.  The London production was nominated for a record-setting 11 Laurence Olivier Awards in four categories including Best New Musical.

Must Come See Productions is a non-profit organisation, committed to celebrating, encouraging, promoting and nurturing the diverse talents and works of Trinidad and Tobago. Known for its panache and innovation in the Broadway genre, MCSP has been honoured with a record-setting fourteen Cacique awards from the National Drama Association of Trinidad and Tobago (NDATT), including Most Outstanding Musical and Most Outstanding Production. Past successes include: Fiddler on the Roof, Oliver!, The Sound of Music, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, AIDA and 2011’s Peter Pan.

Tickets for the show available at the Department of Creative and Festival Arts, UWI (Agostini and Gordon Streets), Queen’s Hall Box Office and at all outlets of Caché.

For further information, search for Must Come See Productions on Facebook, call 462-0358, 320-4486, email info@mustcomesee.com or visit www.mustcomsee.com.