Hairspray Production Photos

Check out some photos taken at our dress rehearsal of Hairspray by the fabulous Curtis Brown. They are great, as always!

There are seven performances left - Wednesday, July 27th through Sunday, July 31st. Come see Hairspray!

Jennifer Foster as Tracy Turnblad in Good Morning Baltimore

Jennifer Foster as Tracy Turnblad and Jason Kappus as Link Larkin in I Can Hear the Bells

Donell James Foreman as Seaweed and Jennifer Foster as Tracy Turnblad doing Peyton Place after Midnight

Dale Hensley as Edna Turnblad and Jennifer Foster as Tracy Turnblad in Welcome to the '60s

Jennifer Foster as Tracy Turnblad

Jennifer Foster as Tracy Turnblad in Without Love

Jennifer Foster as Tracy Turnblad and Jason Kappus as Link Larkin in You Can't Stop the Beat

You Can't Stop the Beat

Hairspray is the Hit of the Summer!

Have you seen Hairspray yet? According to the News & Observer (and audiences who have raved about the first three performances), it is the 'hit of the summer!' Check out Roy Dicks' full review here and then come see for yourself why Hairspray is a fabulous production.

Here is a sneak peek at some of the show's production numbers. You have 8 shows left to choose from - tonight through Sunday, July 31st. You do not want to miss it!

You Can't Stop The Beat!

Who: All Aspiring Actors & Actresses!

What: Create a two minute video starring you and your best friends featuring your favorite 60's dance moves and songs! Your video also must include "Hairspray at North Carolina Theatre July 23rd-31st" in some way, shape, or form.

When: You have one week to make your video! Post your video on our Facebook page anytime between July 11th-18th. Voting will take place from 12:00 AM July 19th to 12:00 AM July 22nd.

Where: Make your video anywhere you like! In order to make the top 3, you must go "like" NCT's Facebook page and post your video to our wall so we know you are entered in the contest.

How You Win: The top 3 contestants will be chosen and re-posted on NCT's Facebook page. Then it's up to you to go to NCT's Facebook page and vote. To vote, "like" your favorite contestant's video post. Voting is from 12:00 AM July 19th to 12:00 AM July 22nd.

What You Win: 4 tickets to Hairspray, admittance for 4 to our VIP reception one hour prior to show time and during intermission, free parking, and a meet & greet and photo with a star of the show!

Help Us Spread the Word: Tell your friends and family about this contest- we know they will want to participate too! Also, tell everyone you know to "like" us on Facebook when the voting begins!

Don't Forget: NCT's production of Hairspray will run July 23rd-31st at Raleigh Memorial Auditiorium. Break a leg!

Hairspray Background & Trivia

As you are all aware, the opening of Hairspray is rapidly approaching! For those of you who aren't familiar with the story of Hairspray, here's a little bit of background information.

Both the broadway musical and the 2007 movie are based on the 1988 movie directed by John Waters. "The songs include 1960s-style dance music and "downtown" rythym and blues. In 1962 Baltimore, Maryland, plump teenager Tracy Turnblad's dream is to dance on The Corny Collins Show, a local TV dance program based on the real-life Budde Dean Show. When Tracy wins a role on the show, she becomes a celebrity overnight. She then launches a campaign to integrate the show. Hairspray is a social commentary on the injustices of parts of American society in the 1960s." (Wikipedia)

The production of Hairspray on Broadway opened August 15, 2002. Out of 13 Tony Award nominations, the musical won eight. After over 2,500 performaces, the show finally closed on January 9th, 2009. After closing, the show went on several international tours.

The movie was released on July 20th, 2007 and brought about a new generation of Hairspray fans. It opened with great success and broke the record for biggest sales at opening weekend for a movie musical. The movie had a star-studded cast of extremely talented actors and actresses, including: Nikki Blonksy (Tracy Turnblad), John Travolta (Edna Turnblad), Michelle Pfeiffer (Velma Von Tussle), Christopher Walken (Wilbur Turnblad), Amanda Bynes (Penny Pingleton), James Marsden (Corny Collins), Queen Latifah (Motormouth Maybelle), Brittany Snow (Amber Von Tussle), and Zac Efron (Link Larkin).



Things you didn't know about making the movie!

-It took John Travolta 4 hours to put on the 30-pound fat suit and 5 gel-filled silicone face prosthetics to become Edna Turnblad.

-Amanda Bynes' pigtails took two hours in hair and make-up every morning.

-Nikki Blonsky told Oprah Winfrey on the first day she entered the studio, John Travolta said to her, "come to mama".

-Penny Pingleton's dress in the "You Can't Stop the Beat" song was made from curtains in her bedroom.

-Meryl Streep and Madonna were both considered for the role of Velma Von Tussle.

-Aretha Franklin auditioned for the role of Motormouth Maybelle, but lost out to Queen Latifah.

-Adam Shankman made Zac Efron make out with the picture frame in the "Without Love" sequence for over an hour.


Hope to see all of you at the upcoming show! Visit http://www.nctheatre.com/ for more information on tickets and showtimes.

(http://www.sweetslyrics.com/images/img_gal/5460_Hairspray_PK_cornykids.jpg)

(http://broadwayworld.com/columnpic/hspryfinale720.jpg)

Keeping Up With Casey

North Carolina Theatre artistic director Casey Hushion has been quite busy since she directed Hello, Dolly! for us in May. She recently attended the TONY Awards as a guest of Casey Nicholaw. Sound familiar? Casey Nicholaw won the TONY for Best Director for the hit musical Book of Mormon – and he even gave our Casey quite the shout out from stage. He thanked her (using her full name) during his acceptance speech! She also got to walk the red carpet, and made it on camera several times when they would pan to the seats. Needless to say, everyone in the North Carolina Theatre was so proud of her in that moment!

“What a thrill to be by Casey’s side to watch a dream come true first-hand…it was an inspiring and unforgettable evening in every way,” says Hushion of her night at the TONYs.

While she didn’t work on Book of Mormon, both Caseys have worked together on numerous productions. They met years ago but really reconnected while they were in town for a North Carolina Theatre production – My Fair Lady – in 2003. Nicholaw choreographed and Hushion assisted on the show. A match was made in heaven because ever since they have worked together on lots of projects ranging from The Drowsy Chaperone (LA, Broadway, West End, National Tour), Elf (Broadway), Minsky’s (LA), To Be Or Not To Be (Manhattan Theatre Club) and Anyone Can Whistle (City Center Encores), to name a few.

Nicholaw received TONY nominations for his work on Spamalot and The Drowsy Chaperone, and he was included in the list of North Carolina Theatre alums who have been connected with the Tonys either via a nomination or a winner. Now we can add his name to the ‘winner’ column – congrats, Casey Nicholaw!

Hushion has also been busy directing a new musical, Fat Camp, this summer. Fat Camp is an original musical being developed by the producers of Jersey Boys and Rock of Ages, and is a part of a new series called the Page to Stage Program at Cleveland’s PlayhouseSquare. Click here for an article on Fat Camp.

We are so excited for all that Casey Hushion has been doing since we saw her last and can't wait for her to come back to North Carolina Theatre in July during Hairspray.

Evita Audition Information

Starring Lauren Kennedy as Eva Peron and Ray Walker as Che Guevara, Evita will run Saturday, October 22nd through Sunday, October 30th in Raleigh Memorial Auditorium at the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts. Evita will be directed and choreographed by Tito Hernandez and music directed by Julie Flinchum Bradley. Here's what you need to know about the auditions for all other roles in Evita.

Auditions will be held on Sunday, July 24th at the North Carolina Theatre Conservatory located at 3043 Barrow Drive Raleigh, NC 27616 in North Raleigh near Triangle Towne Center.

Important Details:

2:30 PM: sign-in begins, no appointments taken

3:00 PM: vocal auditions begin

6:00 PM: dance auditions begin

North Carolina Theatre is seeking strong male and female singers, ages 18 and up and strong male and female dancers, ages 16 and up. All auditioning must be prepared to sing 16 bars. All ethnicities are encouraged to audition. This is a professional production offering both Equity and non-Equity contracts. All adult roles are paid.

Singers auditioning will go in based on sign-in order. Dance auditions will begin promptly at 6:00 PM with a routine taught to the entire group at once. Choreography will be jazz with a strong emphasis on Latin style. Male and female dancers should wear character or jazz shoes.

Please bring:

-Headshot and resume stapled together front to back

-Sheet music of a musical theater selection in your key that shows your range and best vocal ability. Be prepared to sing more if asked. Sight reading accompanist provided.

-Dancers should bring dance attire as mentioned above. Singers should bring attire to move in if asked to callbacks.

Final callbacks are the same evening following the vocal auditions. Callbacks may involve movement and reading - sides to be given day of, no monologues needed. Performers will be notified on site if needed for callbacks.

Please click here for all further information on the auditions. Click here for an Evita character list and plot summary.

Wachovia/Wells Fargo's GLEE FOR THE FAMILY! is a Hit!

Thanks to the generous sponsorship from Wachovia/Wells Fargo, North Carolina Theatre and Marbles Kids Museum have now performed two workshops as a part of First Friday called GLEE FOR THE FAMILY at Marbles Kids Museum that teaches entire families to be all-star singers and dancers.


The first session of the year was in February and it was a great success. We had over 100 participants packed into a multi-purpose room at Marbles. The participants learned the great R&B ballad "River Deep, Mountain High" and then learned a dance to it! Pianist and vocal coach Julie Bradley, and Director/Choreographer Tito Hernandez, accompanied by two of the North Carolina Theatre Conservatory's biggest student talents, taught two workshops to masses of people...it was a blast to watch and hear! And I think we have some undiscovered talent in Raleigh! (Moms and Dads out there...we saw you!)

The next workshop was held in May and featured a performance from the hottest stars of the North Carolina Theatre Conservatory doing a medley from the musical Hello, Dolly! Everything from "Put On Your Sunday Clothes" to "Elegance" was performed in song and dance. Then the families learned the song "Before the Parade Passes By." We made Sunday hats, paraded through the building, and sang beautifully - another First Friday success with Marbles.

Stay tuned for our third First Friday event at Marbles! You are invited to attend a Hairspray Dance Party, Friday July 1st from 6:30 to 7:30 PM at Marbles Kids Museum located in downtown Raleigh! Visit www.marbleskidsmuseum.org for complete details.

We hope to see you there and thank you to those who made the first two workshops a huge success!

~Heather Patterson King
Director of Outreach; Acting Department Head
North Carolina Theatre Conservatory

TONY Time

Are you watching the TONYs on Sunday? They air on CBS at 8PM and are sure to be entertaining, especially since Neil Patrick Harris is this year's host. The telecast will feature performances from cast members in hit shows like Memphis, Spiderman Turn off the Dark, Catch Me If You Can, How To Succeed In Business and many more.

What is equally as exciting is the star-studded cast from NY Philharmonic's concert version of COMPANY is coming together one more time to perform a number on the TONYs. If you didn't get a chance to see COMPANY in New York, it is playing in Raleigh (and at movie theatres across the country) on June 15, 16, 19 and 21. Click here for listings and ticket information.

Ariana DeBose, who will star in our upcoming production of Hairspray as "Little Inez", was in the ensemble of COMPANY. We are thrilled that she will be in our show - be sure to check out COMPANY if you can! You may recognize Ariana from So You Think You Can Dance as well. North Carolina Theatre is fortunate to be able to bring stars down to perform on our stage.


Since the TONYs are just two days away, I thought it'd be fun to list some of our past alumni who have either been nominated or won a TONY award. Here's our list:

Gary Beach - nominated for Best Actor in La Cage Aux Folles, won Featured Actor in The Producers, nominated for Featured Actor in Beauty and the Beast
Casey Nicholaw - nominated for Best Choreography for Spamalot, and Best Direction & Choreography for Drowsy Chaperone, Book of Mormon
Lou Diamond Phillips - nominated for Best Actor in The King & I
Michael Rupert - nominated for Featured Actor in The Happy Time, winner for Featured Actor in Sweet Charity, nominated for Best Actor in Falsettos
Alan Campbell - nominated for Best Actor in Sunset Boulevard
Wanda Richert - nominated for Featured Actress in 42nd Street
Terrence Mann - nominated for Best Actor in Les Miserables and Beauty and the Beast
Beth Leavel - winner for Featured Actress in Drowsy Chaperone, nominated for Best Actress in Baby It's You!
Joey McKneely - nominated for Best Choreography for Smokey Joe's and The Life
Jarrod Emick - winner for Featured Actor in Damn Yankees
Shuler Hensley - winner for Featured Actor in Oklahoma!
Andrea McArdle - winner for Best Actress in Annie

I can't wait to see what other North Carolina Theatre alum we can add to this list in the future.

Hope you enjoy the TONYs on Sunday! What performance are you looking forward to the most?

Most Memorable Hairstyle Photo Contest

North Carolina Theatre and BOOM! Magazine invite you to enter the Most Memorable Hairstyle Photo Contest in honor of Hairspray!



From BOOM!...

You know what I'm talking about... those photos from the past that make you cringe, laugh or simply remember an enjoyable time in your life.

Photo can be from any era:

'40s: those Joan Crawford bangs, the Veronica Lake curls
'50s: the Marilyn Monroe classic, the infamous "DA" and pompadour
'60s: the Beatles bowl cut, Cher's long, straight "hippy" hair
'70s: the Farah Fawcett mane, Angela Davis' afro or Jim Morrisson's locks
'80s: big hair - male or female!

Get the idea? If you dare to share, we are offering packages to see Hairspray at North Carolina Theatre, July 23-31.

1st place: four tickets plus a VIP package that includes admittance into the Backers Club for appetizers and drinks one hour prior to the show and during intermission and VIP parking

2nd & 3rd place: two tickets each to see the show.

Submit your photo entry as a digital file by June 20 - email barbara@boomnc.com and you will be entered to win. Winners will be contacted by North Carolina Theatre to select a show preference, some limitations may apply.

Winning photographs will also be published in the July issue of BOOM! Magazine.

Break a leg!

Starring Role Donor Party with Cybill Shepherd

At the end of April, John and Debbie Ratliff hosted a lovely party at their home in Raleigh to honor starring role donors (who give $2500+ to our annual fund) featuring special guest, Cybill Shepherd. As you know, Cybill was originally scheduled to star in our recent production of Hello, Dolly! but could not perform in the title role due to an injury. Before she left Raleigh she attended the party to meet and greet with donors and sing a few songs. She was a huge hit and the party was fabulous!

Here are some pictures from the event, courtesy of Curtis Brown Photography:













Special thanks to the Ratliffs for such a fun evening!

Do you want to receive invitations to exclusive North Carolina Theatre events? Contribute to our annual fund - click here for a host of benefits!

Meet The Cast Of Hairspray!

North Carolina Theatre is very excited to present to you our cast of Hairspray! The show runs July 23rd-31st at Raleigh Memorial Auditorium. Visit http://www.nctheatre.com/ for more details!

Roy Anthony* (Chorus)

J. Michael Beech* (Male Authority Figure)

English Bernhardt (Chorus)

Katie Bottomley (Chorus)

Christopher Brasfield (Chorus)

Ariana DeBose* (Chorus/Little Inez)

Carlita Ector (Chorus)

Seth Eliser* (Chorus)

Donell Foreman* (Seaweed)

Jennifer Foster (Tracy)

Rhiannon Hansen* (Amber)

Marja Harmon* (Chorus/Dynamite)

Dale Hensley* (Edna)

Christine Hunter* (Chorus/Velma)

Charlie Johnson (Chorus)

Lisa Jolley* (Female Authority Figure)

Jannie Jones* (Motormouth Maybelle)

Caroline Jordan (Chorus)

Jason Kappus* (Link)

Dirk Lumbard* (Wilbur)

Christopher C. Minor (Chorus)

Ryan Naimy (Chorus)

Crystal Sha'nae* (Chorus/Dynamite)

Justin Showell (Chorus)

Christopher Sloan* (Corny Collins)

Dana Steingold* (Penny Pingleton)

Adrienne Sulkey (Chorus/Dynamite)

Kelsey Walston (Chorus)