A hair-raising spectacle

BRINGING the 60s back to life in a colourful production with two sold-out performances last week was the cast of Grantleigh College’s Broadway musical ‘Hairspray’.

The artistic and beautiful Baltimore setting was brought alive each night by the 105 talented performers, accompanied by the Grantleigh College band and the ‘Hairspray’ ensemble conducted by Hayley White.

Depicting the integration of races in a television show in the 1960s, the school’s drama, art and music pupils came together in just two months to put on the spectacular show directed by Biddy Wang.

The superb casting of humorous characters coupled with beautiful voices was a winning combination, leaving audiences mesmerised night after night.

Ell-Anne van den Berg, who played the lead role ‘Tracy Turnblad’ was pitch-perfect during her rendition of ‘I can hear the bells’.

The audience shared a number of giggles, especially when Tracy’s ditzy friend Penny Pingleton (played by Caroline Hubble) and Seaweed (Anele Gumede) shared their views on integrated relationships.

The performance by Mr and Mrs Turnblad, played by Cory Yngsdal and Genevieve Hanbury-King, had the audience in stitches and they created a magical moment when they sang ‘You’re timeless to me’.

Chishala Kunda in the role of ‘DJ Motormouth Maybelle’ delivered a most memorable rendition of the song ‘Big blonde and beautiful’. The nasty, but beautiful mother and daughter duo – Tayla Anselmo and Raquel Lopo – also set the scene for many entertaining moments.

The dance scenes, enhanced by colourful costumes, were magnificently choreographed by pupils Raquel Lopo and Caelia Voycey.