Beck Center Alum Returns For Hairspray Redux

He’s a Harvard grad who has taught at Yale, New York University and Columbia. His former students include Adam Sandler and Jon Stewart. 

He is Tony Award-winning writer and Cleveland-area expat Mark O’Donnell—co-author of the musical Hairspray, which is based on John Waters’ 1988 film. And he’s coming to town.

Mark O'Donnell is returning to Cleveland to help intersect young professionals through a local redux of Hairspray at Lakewood’s Beck Center for the Arts.

Hairspray constitutes Beck's 2011 season finale and is directed by Artistic Director Scott Spence.

Beck’s take launches tonight.

O’Donnell will be in town to speak at the Beck’s new “Connect To Beck” (or C2B) membership group young professionals kick-off the following Saturday, July 16. The evening includes a reception, O’Donnell’s address, food, beverages and a performance of Hairspray.

“As a teenager, I acted [at Beck Center] when it was still called the Lakewood Little Theatre,” said O’Donnell in a recent interview with Patch, who cited the experience as influential.

Born to a working-class Cleveland family, O’Donnell mentioned his role as George Gibbs in Thornton Wilder’s play Our Town as among his highlights there.

“I think it is entirely coincidental that they’re doing Hairspray, but I do have a relationship with Beck Center and look forward to coming to town,” he said.

“I love talking about my child [Hairspray]. I could go on and on.”

O’Donnell has penned many plays—including another Tony-nominated Waters adaptation, 2008’s Cry-Baby—and is a Guggenheim Fellow. One of ten children, he has an Emmy Award-winning television writer for a twin brother in Stephen.

O’Donnell himself wrote for Saturday Night Live years ago. But it was “good-natured naughtiness” of Waters’ work that inspired him and colleagues Marc Shaiman, Scott Wittman and Thomas Meehan to concoct the “teenage 1960s-style dance music meets social commentary” production.

“For years Beck Center has carefully chosen a musical comedy for our summer audiences that will stimulate the senses,” exclaimed Beck Center Artistic Director Scott Spence. “Hairspray fits the bill perfectly, so it was a no-brainer for our season finale this year.”

O’Donnell remained faithful to the source material with his work and, as a result, the musical’s original Broadway production won eight Tony Awards and ran over 2,500 performances before inspiring a fortified London West End production and national tours in the U.S. and U.K.

For those unfamiliar with O’Donnell’s Waters reprisal, or the source material, he says there’s plenty of fun to be had.

“It’s a Broadway musical that’s tuneful, with the greatest score in 20 years. Expect a good time—slightly naughty, but good natured—with keen, friendly satire that almost makes the show a genre unto itself. I am very proud it exists.”

Learn more about the production and purchase tickets for Hairspray and O'Donnell's July 16 lecture by visiting www.beckcenter.org.