Hairspray, El Musical!
For the last year or so, I have had a tutor twice a week, come to the consulate and do one-on-one classes. Mostly fun, because we can focus on things that I need to focus upon. But Gil, the tutor, is also a musician, and several months ago I found out that he had translated the songs for the musical "Hairspray," into Espaniol!
So, I was waiting months to organize an outing and publicize the event.
We went last night.
First -- It is the same musical you all know and love from the Broadway stage, and the film(s) (original and the John Travolta remake).
Second--It is done with Juarez resources. There may not be any clothes left in the second hand shops, and they must have mail-ordered the rest. The set design was home spun, but better than I could do with a glue gun and a gold card at the home depot. The theater was at UACJ, the city university, and was less than half full. People don't really go out to theater here. And after I got my people settled, I realized that my seat was actually broken. A discussion with management upgraded us to the fifth row. And I did not even have to pull a diplomatic-diva routine! (not that I would. . . )
Third--the show.
How do you differentiate between the Black kids and White kids of Baltimore when all your cast is Mexican? Why, blackface, of course. As Jake says, "watching a musical about race relations when half the cast is in blackface is kind of quirky." Plus, the Spanish word for 'black' is 'negro,' sounds like N-eeg-ro, which almost tows a line.
Mexico does not really have LARGE size dresses, so Edna Turnblad was a size 16 at best. It made the 'my momma so fat' jokes lose some of their luster.
Also from Jake, "You can wrap a big Mexican woman in leopard print and put her in black-face, but you don't end up with a soulful diva who grew up singing hymns in the AME Baptist Church." True. But she did try and she had the most soulful voice up on that stage. And her mike kept slipping -- think 'rhythm nation/Express Yourself, tour' microphones from the late 80's early 90's. But there were only enough for half the cast. So during songs, mike volume up!!. After songs, mike volume down, so everyone was speaking at the same un-miked level.
The cast danced their little hearts out, and seemed to have tons of fun, which is really what a musical should be all about. In the first half, Tracy Turnblad's shoe broke, but she danced all the way to intermission and did not fall, and did not stop to fix it. It did effect her ability to do all the moves, which begged the question, "how is this girl good enough to be on a Baltimore, 1960's, televised dance show?" But I hope we were not the only ones to notice how the actress powered through the performance, and came back after intermission with new shoes and a renewed ability.
It also helps that we knew the show and songs in English: that way we could catch some of the changes made to the lyrics to make the words fit the score.
Overall, it was an experience. I am not sure how it would play in Peoria, or Williamsburg for that matter, but it is nice to see something happening in Juarez!
-K
So, I was waiting months to organize an outing and publicize the event.
We went last night.
First -- It is the same musical you all know and love from the Broadway stage, and the film(s) (original and the John Travolta remake).
Second--It is done with Juarez resources. There may not be any clothes left in the second hand shops, and they must have mail-ordered the rest. The set design was home spun, but better than I could do with a glue gun and a gold card at the home depot. The theater was at UACJ, the city university, and was less than half full. People don't really go out to theater here. And after I got my people settled, I realized that my seat was actually broken. A discussion with management upgraded us to the fifth row. And I did not even have to pull a diplomatic-diva routine! (not that I would. . . )
Third--the show.
How do you differentiate between the Black kids and White kids of Baltimore when all your cast is Mexican? Why, blackface, of course. As Jake says, "watching a musical about race relations when half the cast is in blackface is kind of quirky." Plus, the Spanish word for 'black' is 'negro,' sounds like N-eeg-ro, which almost tows a line.
Mexico does not really have LARGE size dresses, so Edna Turnblad was a size 16 at best. It made the 'my momma so fat' jokes lose some of their luster.
Also from Jake, "You can wrap a big Mexican woman in leopard print and put her in black-face, but you don't end up with a soulful diva who grew up singing hymns in the AME Baptist Church." True. But she did try and she had the most soulful voice up on that stage. And her mike kept slipping -- think 'rhythm nation/Express Yourself, tour' microphones from the late 80's early 90's. But there were only enough for half the cast. So during songs, mike volume up!!. After songs, mike volume down, so everyone was speaking at the same un-miked level.
The cast danced their little hearts out, and seemed to have tons of fun, which is really what a musical should be all about. In the first half, Tracy Turnblad's shoe broke, but she danced all the way to intermission and did not fall, and did not stop to fix it. It did effect her ability to do all the moves, which begged the question, "how is this girl good enough to be on a Baltimore, 1960's, televised dance show?" But I hope we were not the only ones to notice how the actress powered through the performance, and came back after intermission with new shoes and a renewed ability.
It also helps that we knew the show and songs in English: that way we could catch some of the changes made to the lyrics to make the words fit the score.
Overall, it was an experience. I am not sure how it would play in Peoria, or Williamsburg for that matter, but it is nice to see something happening in Juarez!
-K