Gone are the cobbled-together costumes and simple flats of the traditional school play, and in their place are the professionally-designed, glittering set of the Corny Collins Show and especially-designed costumes hired from overseas.The up-coming Warwick Academy presentation of Hairspray, a stage version of the 1988 John Waters film, promises to be anything but an average high-school production.Under the direction of new Head of Drama, Chris Jones, the stage of Warwick Academy has been turned into a sea of glitter, and the music, under the direction of Head of Music Kent Hayward, and choreography by Warwick Academy student and In Motion company member, Melanie Mendonça, promise to be just as dazzling.According to the Wikipedia plot summary: “In 1962 Baltimore, Maryland, plump teenager Tracy Turnblad’s dream is to dance on The Corny Collins Show, a local TV dance programme based on the real-life Buddy Dean Show.“When Tracy wins a role on the show, she becomes a celebrity overnight. She then launches a campaign to integrate the show.“Hairspray is a social commentary on the injustices of parts of American society in the 1960s”.The songs include 1960s-style dance music and downtown rhythm and blues.Though many may be familiar with the screen version, the live performance will be “a really different experience,” promised Keiran Hamilton, who plays the very suave Link Larkin, the heart throb of the show.“You break the barrier of the screen and become part of the production, part of the illusion of the show.”Veteran thespian Rowan Vickers, who will be interviewing for a place at RADA (Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts) during the five-day run, plays Edna Turnblad on the 25th and 26th and then the role is taken by Chris Dyer, as Rowan will fly out for his interview in London.Edna’s husband Wilbur, owner of the Hardy Ha Ha joke shop, is played by Matthew Wedlich, last seen as one of the “History Boys”.Matthew is looking forward to playing a comic character with “an awkward, bumbling personality and a dry sense of humour”, as all his previous roles have been “pretty serious”.Their daughter Tracy is played by Izabella Arnold, who idolises Keiran Hamilton’s Link Larkin.Described by Keiran as “not the smartest character”, Link is not really sure where he stands, but during the course of the play “gets his mind straight and settles on what he wants.”Although an accomplished dancer, Sydney Neal is a newcomer to the drama stage and plays Amber Von Tussle, “a very distasteful character” according to Sydney, “selfish, greedy, rather unintelligent and extremely jealous of Tracy, who’s after her man”.She takes after her mother, Velma, another “villain”, played by Emma Keane.Also new to the stage is Matari Tannock, who plays Seaweed, who, according to Matari, “is usually in detention”, but who is “exciting, upbeat” and “a joy to play”, with crazy dance moves.Seaweed’s love interest and Tracy’s best friend Penny, is played by newcomer Ashley Davies, who finds her character easy to relate to.Though their personalities are quite different, “Sometimes I have my blonde moments just like her,” Ashley admitted.Among the supporting cast are Shana Parker, who, according to producer Jane Vickers, “has a wonderful voice” and plays the part of Motor Mabel and Chris West who plays Corny Collins in the Cory Collins Show.This will be the last year for Chris, Shana and Rowan as they graduate this year. But the talent runs deep at Warwick and the show has students from Year 7 through to Year 13.On January 25th there is a fund raising dinner theatre show, and then opening night is the 26th and the show runs through to the 29th.Shows start promptly at 7 pm in Warwick Academy’s Phoebe Purvis Memorial Hall.Tickets, available at the main school office, are $20 for the regular show. For further information, contact the school: 236-1917.