BWW Recap: DC Area Students & HAIRSPRAY Perform for First Lady Michelle Obama

What a thrill. What an opportunity. What a day to remember. Yes, it was all of this I experienced after I was invited to attend a dress rehearsal before First Lady, Michelle Obama on Monday afternoon July 19 of 20 dance students rehearsing "We Can't Stop the Beat" from the Broadway musical Hairspray.

Four students were chosen from the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC and 16 students from the Joy of Motion Dance Company from Bethesda, MD.  The students were led by choreographer Jerry Mitchell who brought with him, choreographer Danny Austin. Mitchell was responsible for the Hairspray choreography on Broadway.  Austin is the tour choreographer.

After being herded into the White House press room, the press was escorted into the elegant White House East Room.  A stage was set up in front of portraits of George and Martha Washington. Teddy Roosevelt's portrait was off to the right.

There were a plethora of television cameras and theatrical lighting since the Monday evening formal event "A Broadway Celebration: In Performance at the White House" was taped for broadcast nationwide  for PBS on October 20, 2010 at 9 p.m. The evening performance was shown live via video-stream at www.whitehouse.gov.

Director/Producer George C. Wolfe introduced Baltimorean and Hairspray producer Margo Lion. Seen watching the event were Elaine Stritch, Nathan Lane, and Brian D'Arcy James.

Jerry Mitchell took the stage and introduced the students who performed before the honored guests which included many of their proud parents. After this run through, there was silence awaiting the entrance of First Lady Michelle Obama who soon arrived in a lovely beige pant suit. She sat in the first row on the aisle just a few feet from the stage and when the students ran onto the stage, she showed her wide beautiful smile.

The students were joined by two actors from the Hairspray tour, Constantine Rousouli (Link Larkin) and Danielle Arci (Tracy Turnblad). Their exuberance was electrifying.

After the number, Mitchell ascended the stage and announced to the performers, "Great, but we have some little things to fix".  Almost immediately ,Obama, who looked stunned by his comment, blurted out "What's the problem?"

Ms. Obama, then joined the performers on stage and speaking about the evening performance pointed out where the President would sit and added, "Don't be intimidated by the President.  He's harmless."

There was certainly a Baltimore connection since both the producer and location of Hairspray are from Baltimore.  I had read that the next evening, the First Lady would be heading to Baltimore to throw out the first pitch before the Baltimore Orioles' game.  Being an ardent Orioles' fan,  I asked her if she could help bring the O's a victory. She smiled at me and said, "I'll try". 

Mitchell spoke to members of the press for a moment.  He emphasized that he did not change the original choreography for the students. He stated the play was not about a great dancer but about someone who just wanted to dance.  He added he was proud to be in the White House and that his grandfather has a portrait of himself with President John F.  Kennedy.

I was able to speak to Susan and Ken Kasnett the proud parents of 20 year old performer, Ethan who has been a student at the Joy of Motion Dance Center for seven years  studying under Helen Hayes, yes, that's her real name. While Ken could not attend, Susan was in attendance for the dress rehearsal.  When asked to describe her experience, she stated, "We were"kvelling", we're so proud, so happy for him. He told us it was the greatest experience. He shook hands with the President twice and met the First Lady. He was on such a high. His passion is to perform on Broadway." Kasnett is entering his junior year at the University of Miami where he has performed in Hello Dolly, Rent, and Some Enchanted Evening.

Ethan's teacher Hayes was thrilled to discuss and share her experience.  For the last four years, she has been the Director of the Youth Dance Ensemble Program at the Joy of Motion Dance Center which is a pre-collegiate program for the developing young dancer who hopes to continue dancing beyond their high school years. She was also the recipient of the 2009 DC Metro Dance Award for Excellence in Dance Education at the Kennedy Center.  Of the 16 Joy of Motion dancers, nine were students of Hayes.

When I inquired how she was invited to participate in the program, she mentioned her students performed on the grounds of the White House during the Easter Egg Hunt. She added, "The White House was looking for Broadway style dancers.

It was less than two weeks before the performance that she was asked to provide dancers between the ages of 13 and 20 of all sizes, shapes, and ethnicities.  Hayes then went to work. She had two days of rehearsals. According to Hayes, "Danny Austin, set the work, taught it, blocked it, drilled it, and cleaned it. Mitchell arrived and tweaked it a little. He said such positive things to the kids, what a pivotal  part of the musical the song was, getting rid of racial lines, how it was such a transformative moment in their lives, it was inspirational." She added that most of the dancers were not trained singers but they had to learn about singing and harmonize while they danced in just days.

Hayes admitted she had so much pride watching the students' performance.  "My eyes swelled up with tears watching them be a part of something that big. It wasn't a home run. It was a grand slam."

Following the rehearsal, the dancers got a back-stage tour of the White House. There was a formal photo in the Blue Room and after the Monday evening performance, they were all invited to the formal reception. While there Audra McDonald took photos with them. Composer Stephen Schwartz was there as well as all the performers.  She added, "This has been a remarkable experience, an experience that will forever shape their lives.

Oh...by the way, what was served at the White House reception? Baltimore crab cakes, of course.

Make sure you watch the Oct. 20 concert. Nathan Lane was the MC and he introduced the performers who included Elaine Stritch, Brian D'Arcy James, Karen Olivo with West Side Story dancers Yanira Marin, Shina Ann Morris and Jennifer Sanchez, Audra McDonald, Chad Kimball, Tonya Perkins, and Idina Menzel.  Young Assata Alston, a 12 year old from Queens, almost steals the show with her rendition of "Give Me, Give Me" from Thoroughly  Modern Mille. The show ends with the terrific performance of the student dancers.  President Obama said a few nice words about Broadway and then ended by saying "Go to a show. Buy some tickets."

For comments, write to cgshubow@broadwayworld.com.

Photo Credit: Charles Shubow

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