Hairspray: Easy Piano Selections

by Marc Shaiman (Composer)

(Easy Piano Songbook). The Tony Award winner for best musical, Hairspray is the feel-good Broadway blockbuster based on the 1988 John Waters movie of the same title. The music is by Marc Shaiman (who wrote the clever score to the musical film South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut ), with lyrics by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman. The story is set in Baltimore, 1962, and the songs are a snappy, affectionate homage to the rock and pop of the period. This folio features easy piano arrangements of 12 songs: Good Morning Baltimore * The Nicest Kids in Town * Mama, I'm a Big Girl Now * I Can Hear the Bells * It Takes Two * Welcome to the '60s * Run and Tell That! * Big, Blonde and Beautiful * Timeless to Me * Without Love * I Know Where I've Been * You Can't Stop the Beat.

88 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

Reviews

[Jessica López-Barkl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the musical I will be directing for the summer of 2011, and I have seen the movie, the stage play, and now I've finally read the script, and I'm more inspired to do this musical than the other two that I have done. This play is so relevant and so groundbreaking...I know that sounds a little naive, since it's been in the repertoire since 2002, but...it just is...I'm not going to back down on that. I teach enough ignorant people, who have no idea about the historical traumas of several cultures including people who are plus sized, gay, and African-American...and I'm so proud to bring this in front of an audience who shies away from these topics because they might rock their boat too much. In 2009, when I directed GREASE here in Walla Walla, the Rizzo I cast was African-American, and an ignorant audience member came up to her and said, "I'm surprised there isn't a bigger outcry in Walla Walla." And she said, "Excuse me, you mean about the out-of-wedlock pregnancy..." And then the ignorant woman said, "No, because you're black and Kenickie is white..." The actress to her credit, didn't blink and said, "Ma'am, It's 2009, and we have an African-American President, and if you don't want to see those things anymore, maybe you should move..." This year I was called out in the paper for having poor morals because I directed FOOTLOOSE, so...I'm just going to up the ante with this next one...

[Maryanne]

4Q*4P*M*S
Hairspray (DVD)
Based on the 1988 screenplay by John Waters and the musical play by Mark O'Donnell
Burbank, CA: New Line Home Entertainment (2007)
Motion Picture
Grades 7 and up
YALSA Fabulous Film
Realistic

Tracy Turnblad wants nothing more than to be a dancer on the Corney Collins Show. She doesn't let her plus size figure stop her, and becomes an overnight sensation capturing the heart of Link Larkin, teen heart throb, along the way. However, times are turbulent in 1962 Baltimore, and Tracy uses her talent and heart to stand up for civil rights as well. She takes on the evil dance group leader Amber Von Tussle and her just as evil mother Velma, as well as segregationists throughout Baltimore. She learns in more ways than one that beauty is only skin deep, and what really matters is who people are inside. The songs are uplifting and the dance scenes are wonderful. John Travolta in drag as Mrs. Turnblad steals the show. Teens who like musicals will enjoy the music and dancing of this film. They will also appreciate the message that we all have something to offer no matter what our appearance. The cover image of the DVD (not the image shown above)shows images of all the characters in the film and will make teens wonder how they all fit into the movie.

[Alexandria Jones]

Hairspray was a phenominal book its an interseting musical play that you can learn many diffrent songs are about. also its about the 60's back in the day dealing with alot of segregation and tracey turnblad is trying to get everyone together to e on a show to show their talents.

[Paige · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found myself singing along to the songs as I read through the book of this musical and took notes to discuss a possible production at the high school where I teach.