to say thank you to her husband and cats, as well as the cast, crew, and her wonderful TCR friends for supporting her and reminding her of the magic of live theatre. This will truly be a show to remember. Enjoy the performance, and don’ t forget to eat some breakfast before you change the world!
Ann Lawrence( Prudy Pingleton and Others)“ The experience of art challenges us to break free from conventional thinking and embrace the extraordinary.”- Henry Miller Ann hopes you enjoy and are challenged by experiencing this extraordinary production of Hairspray! She last appeared on the TCR stage in Beauty and the Beast( Mrs. Potts) and appeared last Spring in Fairview in the Grandon Studio. Ann has studied music theatre and voice at Illinois Wesleyan University and the University of Iowa.
Justin McDermott( Terry) Justin is thrilled to be back on the TCR stage with his talented friends! His previous TCR credits include Newsies, Hello, Dolly!, Bright Star, and Something Rotten! Justin has loved the show Hairspray since childhood— first for the energetic dancing and colorful costumes, and later for its powerful themes of acceptance and equality, which he is honored to help share with you in this joyful and inspiring production!
Ej Miller( Duane) Ej is super excited to be back on the TCR stage for the second time. The first time was when he played a munchkin in Wizard Of Oz back in 2023. Ej is currently a senior at Washington
High School where he serves as an officer for the drama department and an 11 time speech All-stater; his love for theater is undeniable. He loves Hairspray as it is the first musical he has ever seen and it was the first time he ever felt seen as a young black man who loves theater. When you come to Hairspray we hope that you come with an open mind and leave with a new perspective. Big thanks to this amazing cast and crew for giving me a new family and HUGE shout out to Matt for handling this show with care. Ej would also love to thank both his parents Nichole and Elijah and his awesome coaches: Layne Sheetz, Rishi Wagle, Pat Fagan, Carrie Tinkham, Ethan Glenn, and Allie Klinsky. Enjoy the show!
Sanaai Morel( Gilbert) Sanaai has recently performed as Steward in Into the Woods and other fun characters such as Donkey from Shrek the Musical. Gratitude goes out to family and friends for their unwavering support throughout this journey. This marks Sanaai ' s debut on the TCR stage, and excitement is high to be part of the cast!!
Madeline Nuss( Penny Lou Pingleton) As a long-time lover of Hairspray, Madeline is thrilled to step into this dream role! She was seen most recently in Carrie: The Musical( Sue Snell) and Jersey Boys( Lorraine) at TCR, and Spring Awakening( Martha) at City Circle! Other ensemble credits include Catch Me If You Can; Something Rotten!; Madagascar; SpongeBob SquarePants, and Meet Me in St Louis. Soon-to-be pursuing a BFA in Acting
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