School musical to hit a high note

Students from the Hairspray cast, with teachers Mr Hnatejko and Mrs Ibanez (far right). Photo by Joe Mastroianni. 210433_02

By Alesha Capone

It’s time to say welcome to the sixties, good morning Baltimore and pause to hear the bells.

Students and staff from a Tarneit school have been hard at work rehearsing for an upcoming musical.

Good News Lutheran College (GNLC) senior and middle year students will perform in Hairspray on September 25 and 26.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic and social distancing requirements, there will be limited seating at the shows for a live audience.

For this reason, the college will use technology to allow students’ families and friends from across the world to watch the musical performances online.

Hairspray was released as a musical comedy film in 2007, starring an ensemble cast including John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken, Queen Latifah, Zac Efron Allison Janney and Nikki Blonsky.

The film was based on a 2002 musical of the same name, which was in turn based on a 1988 comedy film.

The musical is set in during 1962, in Baltimore, Maryland, where teenager Tracy Turnblad auditions to be a dancer on a local television program, titled The Corny Collins Show.

Tracy becomes involved in a community protest against racism and helps to end racial segregation among the young dancers on the show, along with some of the other characters.