Production of Hairspray wins Nashville's outstanding musical of 2011 from BroadwayWorld

Janel Shoun | 

The Lipscomb University Theatre Department continues to collect trophies as the fall production of “Hairspray” was named as Nashville’s Outstanding Musical of the Year by BroadwayWorld.com’s annual First Night Awards.

“Hairspray” director Justin Boccitto was also named by the First Night Awards as one Nashville’s top director of a musical in 2011 and as one of Nashville’s top 11 choreographers in 2011.

To see more on Nashville’s First Night Awards click here.

Boccitto is a long-time performer, director and producer in New York City and the co-founder of The Group Theatre Too. He came to Lipscomb to direct “Hairspray” and to serve as a visiting adjunct professor in fall 2011.

For the past 10 years Boccitto's work has been seen across the country in national tours, Off-Broadway, regional theatre, The Metropolitan Opera, The New York Musical Theatre & Fringe Festivals and Circle in the Square.

He has worked closely with such artists as Nicole Fosse, Michael Blevins, Theodore Mann, David Rimmer and has taught at Broadway Dance Center, Manhattan Movement and The Juilliard School.

“Hairspray” is the Tony Award-winning musical that traces the story of Tracy Turnblad, a lovable plus-size heroine with a passion for dancing who runs up against the “establishment” in 1960s Baltimore.

In Lipscomb’s version, Tracy was played by student Whitney Vaughn and her mother Edna was played by Lipscomb theater faculty member Jake Harbour. The 43-person cast included Jessica Moore as Motormouth Maybelle, the owner of a Motown record store where Tracy and her friend Penny make a new group of friends; Sydni Hayes as Amber, the dancing queen of “The Corny Collins Show” until Tracy comes along; and Tyler Ashley as Link Larkin, another dancer who takes a shine to Tracy despite her size.

To see more about Lipscomb’s production of “Hairspray” click here.
 

To see more on the Lipscomb University Theatre 2011-2012 season click here.