Introduction to “Backstage with the Cast of Hairspray” Series

We’ve approached the home stretch now. Three more shows left and I am almost embarrassed to say that I am only now getting to know the cast that I have been rehearsing with for three months. A low down dirty shame! I know * rubs fingers, intense deliberate frown, shakes head slowly. Among other things… I deliberately distanced myself.. as in ME.. the person, from this Must come see production of Hairspray… I have my reasons..which I guess may be addressed in future posts about Hairspray or whenever it is appropriate. I have this ability, it’s a gift and a curse really, to just switch off or go into a bubble, to lock me, the person away, and for those tedious hrs of rehearsals.. I did not exist… I was zoned out.. for the most part… all that left was Thad- the detention kid character. Offstage I did not really connect with anyone, offstage they became people and me.. the person was still locked up.. then we moved into the theater… Tech!

Tech had a way of testing the fortitude of the walls I put up. In sharing the dressing rooms sometimes even spending entire days together, I guess I did not have the energy to maintain those walls, or at least i was unwilling to place much energy in that arena.. so I relaxed them.. though just a bit. In doing so I am now beginning to appreciate the people exist behind the characters… they have quirky personalities, insecurities. They’re fun loving and crazy as hell and some of whom got some interesting stories to tell. AA! I just talk in Jive! I am officially black now. Woo!!

Today I interviewed a few members of cast and it was quite fun and insightful. I actually decided to do the interview thing… well I’d prefer to think of it as recorded conversation as it wasn’t really regimented… ’cause in talking with them and learning who they are I kept thinking.. lol! someone should have totally recorded that. It’s one of those kind of moments that you get to see in the behind the scenes in DVD extras… something on can go back to and laugh about… pity I don’t have a camera.. but I did have a phone to record the audio that I will later put to the page.. I mean blog. I guess that’ll do for the moment.

My first conversation was with Debra Bocaud-Mason <Velma Von tussle>, and in putting the recording to paper from the recording I only just noticed long it was.. almost an hour… (I could have my own show. Oprah! Hook me up at Harpo Studios!).. ad there are more conversations to come yet. This post is really to introduce that series of interviews with the cast so subscribe and look out for them coming soon.

That being said, to the cast and company: though I may never remember all your names or faces (it’s the old age acting up) and I may not be as social as you may know me to be inside the production as i am outside.. Ya’ll amuse me and inspire me everyday in this production. Trust me when I say if I did not have Hairspray to commit to and some of y’all to lean on, (you know who you are) my life could have taken and probably would have taken a darker turn. Much love to all of yall ❤ ❤ Muah!