Interview: Ronny Merhavi, Maor Maimon And Talli Oren Talk HAIRSPRAY

The highly anticipated musical of the summer is almost here and during this week's presentation producer and senior entrepreneur Maor Maimon as well as Ronny Merhavi (Tracy) and Talli Oren (Velma Von Tussle) shared a bit about the Israeli production of Hairspray.

Ronny Merhavi

Congratulations on this role! How does it feel to be starting this show in just a few weeks?

Yes, it's in 2 and a half weeks! Completely excited. For starters, in general I don't like rehearsals and just want to actually do the work on stage, but the rehearsals here are great and it's so fun to handle these materials because many musical productions in Israel are of classics and are more heavy, and it's time for something [such as this production] to pick things up. I also remember telling the producer that this is a musical that couldn't have been presented in any time other than during the summer when you can go out and start dancing, which I hope everyone will get on their feet in the end and do because how can you not with this music? There's also a beautiful musical combination here between genres such as soul, R&B, gospel as well as jazz, swing, rock and roll, pop.

Do you feel as if this production is trying to push for more new musicals such as Hairspray that have newer and different music styles as opposed to the more classic musicals?

I think that the Israeli audience really is only recently starting to see more and more productions of musicals. 9 years ago, when I was studying in Beit Zvi, musicals were known of course but it wasn't like today when every repertory theatre has at least one running production of a musical.

Now, I'm happy to take part of classics such as West Side Story [2016, Cameri Theatre] but there's something very fun in introducing to the Israeli audience something that it doesn't know yet. By the way, apparently because of the [2007] movie there are many people who know this musical and love the music and story and I'm glad that we have the opportunity to present it to them live.

Did you know this musical before the movie?

Yes, when I started studying at Beit Zvi I learned more about this world and was introduced to this musical among others, so much that in my first year there I participated in a competition for musical theatre scholarships and sang "Big, Blonde and Beautiful", because I'm big, blonde and beautiful. Also, after I finished school the show had just finished its run on Broadway and when I heard it's running at the West End I said to myself- "Why shouldn't I be in this musical on the West End?" So I went online to their website, found the casting company and wrote them "Hi, my name is Ronny Merhavi, I recently finished my studies at Beit Zvi and would like to audition for the part of Tracy". They wrote back but eventually it wasn't possible because I didn't have the permission to work in the UK and by that the dream to work on the West End vanished.

Who knows? Maybe it could still happen?

You see, there's no West End dream anymore as I'm having such an amazing time doing this role here in Israel. And given how close I am to my family it's not like I have the need to go and audition in Los Angeles or New York, I'm thrilled to create here.

Any other shows you would like to take part in?

For me I feel like Hairspray sums up 3 years of very hard work on musicals [Hair, West Side Story, Simply Loving You] and I would love to also go back to regular theatre because that's where I'm originally coming from. I find it amazing that I have this ability to also sing and dance, but I also love plays and would love to return to that as well.

Finally, out of Hairspray's songs which do you love the most?

I love Rudi's song [Rudi Bainesay, who plays Motormouth Maybelle], "I Know Where I've Been", because it's simply moving and amazing and in my roots I'm very connected to this type of music, the gospel and soul music. Also, the theme of the song to know who you are and not adjust to what the society wants you to be but to stand tall, strong and proud of who you are- black or white, overweight or skinny- to stand and say that's me, and I love myself this way.

Maor Maimon

Not only is this one big deal of a production that you're bringing here to Israel but you're also making dreams come true for musical theatre fans in this country.

Yes, with all the production rights needed this is the first musical from abroad that I'm producing and though it's not very new it is from the newer generation of musicals, it's not some classic, and for many years there was no musical from this generation that was produced here. They keep doing again Les Mis, West Side Story, wonderful and excellent productions but no one took up the gauntlet and brought something new. Apparently Hairspray has many fans here as well as others who don't know it, but this is a great opportunity to arrive this summer and see a production that is truly in the highest standard that could be in order to be under all the requirements from the international production rights and license so I think we'll bring great respect and pride to the Israeli production.

With such a major production that includes a full live orchestra, huge cast, costumes and more, aren't you a bit concerned to do so with a musical that is less known in the country?

Yes, but I always say that if I were always afraid or didn't have the courage I would've probably not chosen this specific field of work to begin with. I might be a bit not normal but I do believe that things will be good. I'm especially hoping that the Israeli audience will know how to appreciate productions such as this one and give their strength to independent producers in order for them to keep doing such productions which are not simply to create, so we need the audience to come and support.

Talli Oren

What do you think about this event?

It's amazing because it really shows bites from the show, you're not gonna see the whole show because it's not ready yet but you can really get the atmosphere and get to understand the whole colour and taste of the show. And it's a fun show!

It is a fun show, have you seen it on Broadway/West End?

I haven't seen it but I have seen the movie about 20 times, my daughter can't stop watching it, I love the movie. But on Broadway/West End unfortunately I only got the chance to see other shows such as Avenue Q, which I did in the Israeli production.

In general you're not new to musical theatre, including Avenue Q [Beit Lessin, 2007] and especially Billy Schwartz which you created the lead role in. But now that you're getting into an existing role how is it different for you?

It's actually fun, I didn't watch too many clips [of other productions], I did watch Kristin Chenoweth do this role on "Hairspray Live!" which she did amazing and she's like an idol so it's fun for me. I enjoy every moment because she's [Velma] a bitch from hell and I think every actor dreams to play the bad guy at least one time in his life and opposite to other parts that I do it's 180 degrees and so far away from what I do now in other shows. So much more, it's a challenge for me and I really enjoy every moment of it.

In that case, musical theatre vs. plays, which you are doing at the moment (The Odd Couple, Beit Lessin Theatre), which do you prefer?

I think I don't want to be the musical theatre actress who does only that, but what I like about musicals is that it's a fantasy world and you have all the elements that I get really excited from. When you have the musicians that play live and you have the other spectacular things... You get to sing, act, you have the whole package, so when I do plays I sometimes feel like I miss the music but when I do too much musicals then I feel like I want to do a play so it's never enough, never.

Speaking of music, with all these songs which song do you love the most?

"Without love" [in song]. I'm a Disney girl, a Stevie Wonder girl, it sounds like a hit and something that Stevie Wonder could've written and I would listen to all day long and musically it excites me, I love it [continues singing the song].

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Performances begin August 2nd, 2017 at Petah Tikva, with shows across the country.
For further information visit Hairspray and for tickets, visit Eventim or ticket4u.

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