Poway Unified School District Presents

Hairspray

At the Poway Center for the Performing Arts

January 6-8, 2012

All School District production spotlights local talent sharing the stage with
Poway staff, graduates and parents in award-winning musical, Hairspray.  

San Diego (Dec 2011)—The Poway Unified School District presents “Hairspray,” a musical extravaganza. HAIRSPRAY has delighted audiences by sweeping them away to 1960s Baltimore, where the ‘50s are out--and change is in the air. The show is fused with much of the ‘60s musical styles: Motown, Elvis, rhythm and blues, and rock 'n' roll.  

Hairspray is directed by Westview High School Senior Meagan Pitcher and features Poway School District students Shianne Evans (The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, The Old Globe) and Abby Linton as “Tracy Turnblad,” the girl who turns The Corny Collins Show on its ear. Her mom, Edna Turnblad, traditionally portrayed by a flamboyant male actor, will be played by recent Mt. Carmel High School graduate Erik Velasquez.  

About the Poway All District Musical

The Poway All District musical is the brain child of Black Mountain Middle School teacher Melissa Moreau. As an educator in the district for 19 years, she has directed numerous musicals with her students. Even though many schools are cutting budgets to the arts, Moreau felt it was important to expand the opportunities in educational theater to all students in the district. Hairspray is the third all district musical and the first to expand to almost all of the high schools and middle schools in the district.  

All in the Family

What makes this production unique is the educational element where students and some graduates from our schools are not only performing, but are also involved in all aspects of producing a show including directing, choreography, stage management, design, and music. Moreau selected Westview High School Senior Meagan Pitcher to direct this production. Pitcher was in one of the first student directed musicals, Beauty and the Beast when she was in 6^th grade and was honored to be asked to direct for Moreau. Meagan, who plans to pursue her education in theater arts, even brought her entire family into the production. Her mom, Janet Pitcher, will be the assistant producer and costumer, her brother, Ryan Pitcher, who is a Westview High School Graduate, will be conducting the orchestra, and her dad, Mark Pitcher, as official photographer.

The Story

Loveable Tracy Turnblad, has a passion for dancing, and wins a spot on the local TV dance program, "The Corny Collins Show." Overnight she finds herself transformed from outsider to teen celebrity. Can a larger-than-life adolescent manage to vanquish the program's reigning princess, integrate the television show, and find true love (singing and dancing all the while, of course!) without mussing her hair?  

About the Cast

The show is double cast and includes students from many of the middle and high schools in the Poway School District, including Emily Martin (Velma), Riayn Harris and Dubravka Juric (Motormouth) Mount Carmel High School, Shianne Evans (Tracy), Meagan Pitcher (Penny) and Haley Batzer (Amber) Westview High School, Poway High School, Kailey Mixer (Amber) Maranatha High School, Abbey Linton (Tracy), Garrett Weir (Corny) Shannon O’Kane (Penny), Emma Ford (Tammy) Black Mountain Middle School, and Twin Peaks Middle School. Parents include: Alex Ford (Wilbur), Karen Linton (Prudy). Teachers include: Jeff Lee (Spritzer, Mr. Pinky) and even BMMS Principal Hall round out the cast, filling some of the adult roles.

Hairspray designers include: Westview graduate Hope Jones, scenery; award-winning costume designer Janet Pitcher, costumes; and Westview High School’s Kelly Martin is the stage manager and lighting designer.

The Cast

Tracy Turnblad- Abbey Linton, Shianne Evans

Penny Pingleton- Shannon O-Kane, Meagan Pitcher

Amber VonTussle- Kailey Mixer, Haley Batzer

Edna Turnblad- Erik Velasquez

Velma VonTussle- Emily Martin

Wilbur Turnblad- Alex Ford

Corny Collins- Garrett Weir, Paul Ford

Link Larkin- Connor Boyd

Seaweed J. Stubbs- Kevin Burroughs

Motormouth Maybelle- Riayn Harris, Dubravka Juric

Prudy Pingleton- Karen Linton

Little Inez- Madison Smith, Kazmine Longmire