Northeast Students Prepare for ‘Hairspray’ Opening Night

The Theatre Group will present the musical Hairspray at 7 p.m. March 1-3 along with a 2 p.m. matinee performance on March 3.

According to a press release from the school, Hairspray is about Tracy Turnblad, an overweight high school student who dreams of starring on a local Baltimore teen dance program.

After impressing the show’s host, Tracy earns a coveted spot on the program and becomes very aware of the racial tension of the time period. Tracy decides to use her newly found fame to integrate the races on her favorite show.

Sarah Jester, Northeast High School choral director and director of the production, said she is very excited about the show’s opening night.

“I feel like we are in really good shape; the kids are excited,” Jester said. “Hairspray is a popular show so I think it will encourage the community to come out. The students have worked tirelessly on this project so we are excited to have the chance to share it with the community.”

Jester said about 75 Northeast students, including the cast and crew, are involved in the production and have been working on the show since December.

Due to renovations at the school, the production will be the last show performed in the current Northeast High School auditorium.

“This is the cool part,” said Jester. “This is the last show in the auditorium at Northeast. The neat part about this show is on Friday night [March 2], we have invited alumni to come out and dance the last number with us. So they will have the chance to come out and give their last performance on this stage.”

Jester said that throughout the three months they have been working on the show, the part she has enjoyed the most is working with the students.

“I think my favorite part of the show is that it has brought a whole new variety of students into the drama program,” she said. “I think, what is nice about it is this group of kids are the nicest group of kids and very welcoming. It doesn’t matter what social circle they come from, they all work well together as one big happy family.”

Tickets for Hairspray are $8 for general admission, and $5 for students with identification. Advance tickets are available weekdays until 2:30 p.m. in the school’s attendance office.