Let’s hope QC Music Guild and Countryside Community Theatre don’t get any federal funding, because it would be yanked after two of this summer’s most satisfying, proudly pro-DEI shows  — Guild’s “The Prom,” and its spiritual parent, Countryside’s current musical “Hairspray.”

Both boasting the obvious conclusion that diversity, equity and inclusion are societal strengths (and not drawbacks), each story places a female teenage heroine at its center, and profoundly important civil rights (as they often do) stem from a personal dream – in “The Prom” (set in 2015), lesbian Emma just wants to take her girlfriend to the big dance, and in “Hairspray” (set in 1962), Tracy just wants everyone (Black and white) to be able to dance together, on her way to winning a teen dance show.

Stopping the show are (L-R) Keith Wright, Ellerie Hurley, Caroline Sieren and Micah Roldan.

Both musicals are set in high schools; bursting with big, hammy characters; tremendous heart and humor; gloriously high-energy ensemble dance numbers, deeply inspirational messages, and are relentlessly entertaining.

CCT’s “Hairspray” (part of its “season of empowerment”) is a big deal, in far more ways than one. Debuted on Broadway in 2002, the Tony-winning musical (songs by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman), focuses on an irresistibly dorky Tracy (here a sympathetic, adorable Caroline Sieren) and her mom Edna (the one-and-only T Green), both plus-size physically, and both with big hearts and dreams.

Caroline Sieren and Keith Wright bust a move.

While Green may not have literally been born to play the hilarious, wise-cracking Edna (the drag part was originated by Harvey Fierstein and famously later played by John Travolta), the tall, physically imposing trans performer fits the part to a, well, T. Her program bio notes that Green considers Edna “so important to her and her personal gender journey.” She seems to effortlessly dominate each scene she’s in, not only because Green towers over the rest of the cast, but Edna’s huge personality.

Co-directors Steph Bley (who provided her characteristically sharp, fun choreography, executed flawlessly by an exuberant cast) and Keenen Wilson made the masterstroke casting choice of having Green paired with Cal Vo as Edna’s husband Wilbur. In real life, they are artistic directors, writing partners and frequent performers in the wacky Haus of Ruckus.

The finale of Countryside’s production of “Hairspray,” running through Aug. 3 at North Scott High School.

With his lovable New York City accent, Vo together with Green make an ultimate odd couple (why didn’t this show produce a spinoff sitcom?), and one of the many highlights in “Hairspray” is the second act duet, “Timeless to Me.” Wilbur starts the old-fashioned, soft-shoe number after Edna says she feels old and useless, and the super cute Vo sings it to cheer Green up, and then Edna takes a verse and we bask in the glow of their warm-hearted, unbreakable bond.

Just about every song shines in this boisterous, professional show. The strong, upbeat opener “Good Morning Baltimore” (later reprised as an emotional ballad), and the infectious, blissful anthem closer “You Can’t Stop the Beat” provide outstanding bookends. But like “The Prom,” there are bigoted antagonists (in the former, primarily just the mom PTA president) and in “Hairspray” the villain is the racist, dismissive show producer Velma (Peyton Reese) and her annoying daughter Amber (Kailee McCaw), and dramatic obstacles must be overcome on the road to happiness.

Calvin Vo, left, and T Green as Tracy’s parents in “Timeless to Me” in “Hairspray”.

Reese shows off her impressively powerful voice in “Miss Baltimore Crabs” and “Velma’s Revenge.”

Another fittingly formidable actor is Rob Keech as the show-within-a-show host, TV’s Corny Collins. Smarmy, flamboyant and full of himself, Keech is just about the opposite of his last lead, the dark and bitter title role in Music Guild’s “Sweeney Todd,” but closer to his arrogant Gaston in “Beauty and the Beast.”

Yolanda Washington (as Motormouth) sings to Cal Vo, left, as Wilbur, and T Green as Edna in “Hairspray”.

Appropriate to the 37-member cast of “Hairspray,” this is about the most diverse collection of performers I’ve seen on a QC stage in a long time, blending African-American and white actors. And also another off-stage personal connection is a natural on the North Scott stage as Yolanda Washington is an excellent, inspirational Motormouth Maybelle – a record producer in the story – and mother of Seaweed Stubbs, played by her real-life son, Davenport Central senior Keith Wright.

Washington’s muscular, forceful voice is awesome in “Big, Blonde and Beautiful” (which ends the first act), and moving in the uplifting, soulful “I Know Where I’ve Been” in the second half, joined there in what amounts to a heavenly gospel choir. Wright is a knockout (winning the heart in the story of Ellerie Hurley’s Penny) mainly due to his charismatic stage presence. He’s thin, limber, flowing and fluid, delivering Bley’s choreography with bewitching ease.

Keith Wright as Seaweed and Ellerie Hurley as his girlfriend Penny.

The uniformly solid cast also features Micah Roldan as the dashing, slick teen heartthrob, Link Larkin, and Charleigh Weatherspoon as Little Inez.

The talented crew includes assistant director Vivian Bonde, music director/pit director John Whitson, assistant choreographers Antoine Richmond, Rebekah Riewerts, and Caroline Sieren (who’s Tracy), with the beautifully colorful, variety of costumes by Liz King-Powers (look for matching mother-daughter dresses). I especially admired the set pieces (designed by Kevin Hurley, Cade Simmons, and Savanna Picket), especially the sparkly, purplish, tinsel-like backdrop for the Corny Collins show, a wall of records during the Motormouth scenes, and the towering can of hairspray, from which a few characters emerge toward the show end.

T Green as Edna and Caroline Sieren as her daughter Tracy, in matching outfits, in “Hairspray”.

Like “The Prom,” “Hairspray” predictably ends with good deliriously triumphing over evil, and the standing ovation we gave at the close Saturday night was well-deserved, leading into another ecstatic clap-along version of “You Can’t Stop the Beat.” If only real life could be wrapped up in such a nice, neat bow.

“Hairspray” will continue at North Scott High School’s Auditorium in Eldridge at 7 p.m. Aug. 1 and 2, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 3. Tickets are $20, available HERE.

Peyton Reese (center) plays the villainous show producer Velma in Countryside’s “Hairspray”.

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Jonathan Turner

Jonathan Turner -- who has called the Quad Cities home since 1995 -- has decades of experience as a professional journalist and pianist. His experience writing for daily newspapers, public radio and local TV encompasses a wide range of subjects, including the arts, politics, education, economic development, historic preservation, business, and tourism.

Jonathan most loves writing about music and the arts (which he now does as a freelancer for the River Cities Reader and Visit Quad Cities). He has a passion for accompanying musicals, singers, choirs and instrumentalists, including playing for QC Music Guild's 2023 productions of RENT and SWEENEY TODD. He is assistant music director and accompanist for the spring 2025 Music Guild show, ESCAPE TO MARGARITAVILLE. He wrote an original musical based on The Book of Job, which premiered at Playcrafters in 2010. Jonathan penned a 175-page history book about downtown Davenport, that was published by The History Press in 2016, and a travel guide about the QC published by Reedy Press in 2022.