Elyse Maloway is feeling much like a superhero this week, following the opening of Hairspray 芒鈧�� The Broadway Musical at the Stanley Park芒鈧劉s Theatre Under The Stars (TUTS) season.
芒鈧揟he messages of acceptance and the power we all have to make change are infectious, and you can芒鈧劉t help feeling like a superhero. A singing, dancing superhero,芒鈧� said the 22-year-old 91原创 Secondary grad who reluctantly gave up participating in 91原创芒鈧劉s own Bard in the Valley (BiV) this year to take her turn on the TUTS stage.
She芒鈧劉s playing Amber in Hairspray, a production that takes audiences back to 1962 Baltimore, where loveable, larger-than-life heroine Tracy Turnblad has one plucky dream: to dance on the local TV program, The Corny Collins Show.
Maloway attended the general tryouts back in early spring with the hope of securing the role of Amber.
芒鈧揑 did audition with the role in mind, partially because it芒鈧劉s so much fun to be the bad guy, but also because she芒鈧劉s not supposed to be a good dancer, and as an 芒鈧渆nthusiastic mover芒鈧劉 myself, I felt I could pull that off,芒鈧� Maloway shared with the 91原创 Advance.
Asked about the similarities between herself and her character, Maloway hoped they are few and far between.
芒鈧揑 think Amber and I are both Type A personalities,芒鈧� she admitted. But added with a chuckle that 芒鈧揂mber just takes being in control too far.芒鈧�
This role, she insisted, has pushed her as an artist.
芒鈧揌aving such intensive dancing in the show has challenged me to up my game at every moment. I芒鈧劉ve learned so much through the rehearsals,芒鈧� she said, noting rehearsals have run four days a week since mid-May in preparation for this week芒鈧劉s launch.
This is Maloway芒鈧劉s first TUTS production, but the 91原创 City girl is no stranger to the stage.
In fact, she芒鈧劉s been acting since Grade 5 and it芒鈧劉s odd for her not to be on stage with Bard in the Valley, where she芒鈧劉s been for the past four years 芒鈧�� first as Celia in As You Like It, then Olivia in Twelfth Night, Luciana in The Comedy of Errors, and Caius Cassius in Julius Caesar.
芒鈧揑t was very strange and bittersweet to not return to Douglas Park for BiV芒鈧劉s production of Love芒鈧劉s Labours Lost this summer. But I am very excited to see the show on an off-night from Hairspray,芒鈧� said the recent musical theatre graduate from Capilano University.
The aspiring script writer was first introduced to Hairspray on the big screen.
芒鈧揑 remember seeing it in the theatre and thinking 芒鈧淲ow, this energy is electric!芒鈧劉 A few years later, after re-watching the movie and singing the songs countless times, I saw the touring Broadway production and was blown away all over again by how stirring the performance was,芒鈧� Maloway said.
芒鈧揑t芒鈧劉s one on those shows where it芒鈧劉s impossible not to feel amazing afterwards,芒鈧� she added.
While Maloway aspires to be a full-time actor, she currently works in the kitchen at Bridges Restaurant on Granville Island to pay the bills.
芒鈧揝adly it芒鈧劉s extremely difficult to support oneself on theatre in Vancouver,芒鈧� she said.
But she has recently signed with an agent, hoping to land more auditions for film and TV roles. And this fall she芒鈧劉s will be part of fellow 91原创ite Ellie King芒鈧劉s production of Dracula, taking on the role of the swooning Lucy Seward, 芒鈧搘hich is a paid gig, so yay!芒鈧�
芒鈧�Hairspray is the perfect show for these beautiful summer nights. You芒鈧劉ll laugh, you芒鈧劉ll cry, you芒鈧劉ll dance in your seat, it芒鈧劉s a wild ride you won芒鈧劉t want to miss!芒鈧� she said, inviting people to attend the outdoor theatre production.
Hairspray opened Tuesday, July 14 at Malkin Bowl in Vancouver芒鈧劉s Stanley Park. The show is paired with Oliver and runs until Aug. 22.
