Up & Coming Weekly

8 UCW FEB. 24 - MARCH 2, 2010 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM Dig out that rattail comb and old can of Aqua Net®, and make sure every hair is teased and plastered in place for the Broadway show performance of Hairspray, coming to the Crown Theatre on Sunday, Feb. 28 at 8 p.m. as part of the Community Concerts of Fayetteville series. Based on the New Line Cinema fi lm written and directed by John Waters, Hairspray is set in Baltimore in 1962. Big-hearted Tracy Turnblad just wants to dance. After winning a spot on the local TV dance program, The Corny Collins Show, plus-size Tracy with her big hair Twists, Watusis and Swims into celebrity status as she wins the heart of teen idol Link Larkin, integrates a TV show –– and overthrows the current teen queen's reign. Hairspray, big on fun, music and choreography, was a smash hit, winning eight 2003 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and spending more than six record-breaking years on Broadway. "Hairspray coming to Fayetteville is such a great opportunity for our community," said Kathy McKnight, vice president of marketing for the all-volunteer, nonprofi t Community Concerts, Fayetteville's oldest arts organization "whose sole mission is to bring the fi nest in top-notch entertainment to Fayetteville." "This presentation is absolutely what the Community Concerts of Fayetteville organization is all about! Bringing productions like this only enhances our cultural credibility as an excellent community to live, work and play in," continued McKnight. "We're very excited to be partnering with Community Concerts," said Natalie Lewis, marketing and promotions manager for the Crown Center. "This is a top-of-the-line Broadway show." Or as '60s icon Ed Sullivan might have put it, Hairspray is "…a really big shew!" Tickets are $20-$34 and may be purchased at the Crown Center Box Offi ce, Ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster outlets or by phone at 1-800-745-3000. For more information, contact Community Concerts at (910) 323- 1991 or the Crown Center at (910) 438-4100. Hairspray Comes to the Crown: Proof that Big Hair Never Really Went Out of Style by KAREN POPPELE KAREN POPPELE Contributing Writer COMMENTS? 484-6200 ext. 222 or Editor@upandcomingweekly.com It's been a longtime goal of Bo Thorp, the artistic director at the Cape Fear Regional Theatre, to put Les Miserables, or better known in theatre circles as Les Mis, on stage. That goal has been impeded by publishing rights and performing rights, but Thorp, in seeking to fi ll the theatre's annual classic series for students found a way to bring that dream to life. She explained that because Les Mis is set to begin a national tour, regional theatres won't have the rights to stage it for a couple of years; however, students productions of the concert are authorized. Thorp saw a way of killing two birds at one time. The theatre has had a long-running relationship with the Cumberland County Schools, the classic series is aimed at all juniors in Cumberland County Schools. This year, Thorp decided to stage Les Mis and to use Cumberland County Schools students to bring this wonderful story to their peers. "We went into the schools and did a series of auditions," explained Thorp. "We also had auditions here at the theatre. Through those auditions we have put together a wonderfully talented cast of singers and musicians to stage the show." At the musical helm of the production is David Wolff, a musical prodigy in his own right, made his fi rst stage performance at the age of 12. Three years later he entered the University of Washington on full scholarship majoring in Romance Languages and Piano Performance as a student of Robin McCabe. He later moved to New York City and obtained his Master's Degree under the direction of Byron Janis, celebrated pupil of Vladimir Horowitz. After fi rmly establishing his career as a concert pianist, Wolff took up the baton and began a second career as a conductor. After three years of study in Rome, he began performing throughout Italy, conducting opera (La Traviata, La Bohème and Tosca, among others) and symphonic works, as well as conducting piano concertos from the keyboard. Wolff is Principal Conductor of the Manhattan Chamber Philharmonic as well as the Carolina Philharmonic. This is not the fi rst time Wolff has held the reigns of a CFRT production. Last year he led the orchestra for the opera Porgy and Bess. "He is so talented and he loves sharing that talent with the students," said Thorp. "It's amazing to see how much they improve after one rehearsal with him, and then to see it carry on throughout rehearsals. This is a wonderful opportunity for these students to learn from a master." She noted that many of the students performing in the show will be recognizable from past CFRT performances. She noted that many of the principle roles are being played by "theatre kids" who have cut their teeth on the CFRT stage. Among them are Mary Mattison Vallery, who just fi nished performing the role of Wendy in Peter Pan. "A lot of the students performing in Les Mis were also in Peter Pan," said Thorp. "They were balancing shows and rehearsals at the same time, as well as their school work. It was amazing to me when one of those students mentioned to me that he made the A Honor Roll. These students work very hard and are so responsible. They are just amazing." That being said, Thorp pointed out that bringing the arts into the schools and sharing performances like Les Mis helps to broaden the students perspective and enriches their lives. "That's why we are so excited about this performance and are so committed to the classic series," she said. School performances for Les Mis begin on Thursday, Feb. 25. Public shows run Feb. 25 through Feb. 27 at the Crown Theatre. For ticket information, visit the CFRT Web site at www.cfrt.org or call the box offi ce at 323- 4233. CFRT's Les Mis Lets County Students Shine by JANICE BURTON

• Cover