EVERETT — It’s a good time to explore racial and income inequality in artistic participation among young people.
Village Theatre is taking on that challenge with the hit musical “Hairspray.”
In the musical’s finale, the cast comes together “to celebrate all types of people, decrying sizeism and racism as they look toward a future where superficial boundaries are of no significance,” the theater said in a statement.
The story takes place in 1962, during a time of rapid social change, but its message remains relevant today, said Kati Nickerson, director of youth education and community outreach for Village Theatre.
In producing this musical for Village’s KidStage summer stock production, the youth program faced a challenge, she said.
“Hairspray calls for a diverse cast,” Nickerson said. “Participation in the arts is predictable by race and income, and we have noticed an imbalance. That is exceptionally hard to swallow, since we know that involvement in the arts powerfully benefits youth in so many ways by building community, critical thinking, discipline, tolerance, empathy, resiliency, perseverance and collaboration. Going into this production, we really wanted to broaden our reach.”
KidStage involves about 600 students each summer.
And while a wide range of students attend, and a quarter of them receive scholarships and free programs, participants in KidStage still do not fully reflect the diversity of the greater Everett community, Nickerson said.
To address this, Village Theatre and its youth education programs have increased efforts to create an accessible environment and eliminate unintentional barriers and obstacles for low-income families and students of color.
“One major tool in our kit is our ability to select shows and programming,” Nickerson says. “When students see themselves in our productions, they will join.”
The decision to stage Hairspray was meant to do just that. The story follows one girl’s efforts in the 1960s to participate in a popular TV dance program. Despite not looking the part, she eventually works to integrate the show to include more than just slim white kids.
“The adversity she faces is overcome by a boundless spirit of inclusivity and celebration of individuality. The musical gives the cast, production team, and audiences the opportunity to connect to ever-relevant issues through a historical lens,” the Village statement read.
In preparing for the show, Village Theatre formed a partnership with the Snohomish County NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People), which provided members to help support outreach efforts and ensure that the Village Theatre environment was a welcoming space for all.
The cast, ages 11 to 18, then participated in two sessions during rehearsals with dramaturg and teacher Malika Oyetimein. In these sessions, students discussed the Civil Rights Movement, personal identity and oppression.
Well-known black actress Faith Bennett Russell of Seattle is directing the show. Claudine Mboligkpelani Nako, who played the lead role in Village Theatre’s production of “My Heart is the Drum” earlier this year, is associate director and assistant choreographer. Katy Tabb is the choreographer and the musical directors are Michael Nutting and Aaron Norman.
“Although racial inequities in our society are not new, media coverage of current events and recent history have brought urgency to the cast, crew and directing team,” Nickerson said of “Hairspray. “We feel we need to tell this story now.”
If you go
“Hairspray” is on stage at the Everett Performing Arts Center, 2710 Wetmore Ave., through Aug. 21, with performances at 7 :30 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and at 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $16 general admission and $14 for youth and seniors. Call 425-257-8600.
As part of its efforts to reach out to audiences who may not, for financial reasons, otherwise be able to attend, Village Theatre is offering a pay-what-you-can performance at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 17. People should go to the Everett Performing Arts Center box office between 11 a.m. and 7:15 p.m. that day to request up to four tickets. The Everett Cultural Commission is helping to support the performance.
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