HERSHEY, Pa. — As we've grown familiar with the characters in the cult classic Hairspray, cast members note each new audience and each new cast bring something new to the table.
This is particularly true for this tour's Edna Turnblad, played by Andrew Levitt. Many know Andrew under the drag persona 'Nina West', after the performer's popular run on the Emmy-winning reality show Rupaul's Drag Race.
"I had to leave every notion of who I was as a drag entertainer to be able to focus on who Edna was," Levitt said. "Nina West is this larger than life drag character. Edna is the opposite of that."
Nina said the experiences and even vernacular in life of this cast and audience members alike are different than when Hairspray was created in the late 1980s. However, the relatability of the show remains.
"It's a message of hope. It's a message of love. It's a message of accountability and a message of acceptance," Levitt said. "It's everything we need to hear again now.
Performances of Hairspray in Hershey run through Mother's Day.
Across the rest of our area, the Ephrata Performing Arts Center is taking this weekend off in its run of A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, but will resume next week with shows through May 15th.
Susquehanna Stage Company opens its production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat on May 13th.
Oyster Mill Playhouse opens Moonlight and Magnolias on May 13th as well, which you can catch next week on FOX43 in a Center Stage preview.