If you’ve been in the auditorium between two and five o’clock after school lately, you’ve seen it yourself. You’ve heard the music. You’ve seen the dancing. You’ve witnessed the magic coming to life. White Station’s Hairspray cast has been working tirelessly to bring this Broadway sensation to life on our stage.

But the cast has much work that needs to be done before the play opens on March 26.

“We have only a couple of weeks before the show and a lot of work to do,” said junior Ellen Bulington, a member of the female ensemble.

“The songs in the show are crazy heavy on the singing and crazy heavy on the dance,” said senior Jack Melvin. He plays the male lead, Link Larkin.

Hairspray is a demanding musical that includes nineteen musical numbers, all with accompanying dances. The cast must learn the songs and dances and be able to perform them all together without stopping. The performance is as grueling as it is fun.

“The time we have to dedicate to rehearsals is probably one of the most difficult things about being in the play,” said Dallas Stark (11). She plays one of the “nicest kids in town,” Brenda.

Hairspray also has lessons for the cast and audience alike. The play takes place during America’s desegregation era. With White Station’s extremely diverse student body, we can take important lessons away from the play, aside from the catchy tunes and laugh-out-loud comedy.

Stark said, “It’s fun to dance and sing and learn everything; to be a part of something that you’ve watched as a movie and to become these timeless characters.”