Sounds Good

Mid-County talent radiant in 'Hairspray'; talent kissed and made up

You can’t stop the beat of color, humor and music in “Hairspray,” a production that’s a few miles down the road, but exploding with local talent. Orange Community Players, in partnership with Lamar State College-Orange presents this madness. If you sat on the front row, you’d be knee to knee with young actors singing the story of Ample American Tracy Turnblad in ‘60s Baltimore who turned the local teen dance show upside down by integrating the races and getting the hot guy.
A double dose of Mid-County sparkle comes through Skylar Huckaby and Amber Martin, double cast as Tracy. Brook Doss, director of theater at Nederland High School, directs this crazy-fun show and her husband, Kevin, plays Tracy’s overbearing mother Edna with a fine-tuned skill.
Every actor/singer/dancer is good in this show, but be on the lookout for Nederland and Port Neches residents Huckaby, Martin, Daniel Sharpless, Britni Davis, Justin Sanders and Jessica Henderson. Choreographer Mandy Dowden, is also a Nederland native.
See this 2003 Tony Award winning musical, May 12-14, at 7:37 p.m., and May 15 at 2:37 p.m., at the Orange Community Playhouse , 708 W. Division Street. Tickets are $8 for students, and $15 for adults. For reservations, call 882-9137.

Hope you didn’t miss ‘Kiss’
"Kiss or Make Up" is a family affair, director Robert Freeman announced before curtain at the Act 1 Scene 1 production at The Courtyard Cafe. He was carrying Raggedy Ann, who he credited as co-producer. His daughter Nikolle Freeman aced the lead as Casey, whose apartment is hopping with an incognito neighbor, an engagement, former classmate/federal agent, the police and more. Roxane Gray as Morgie, who fancied making up a dead husband would get her more dates, has facial expressions that get laughs before she gives her lines. This troupe produced another winner with Joey Nortman, Benny Bryan, Cater Holland, Phillip Gray and Ann Holland filling a tiny stage with big personalities. In addition to these characters, a giant '70s-style cheese ball helping disguise a Mickey Mouse hat as a cracker dish gets attention. The cast took a bow in getups ranging from an orange bath towel and pink P.J.s to a bathroom and bed sheet toga.
ddoiron@panews.com