'Cause the world keeps spinnin' round and round
May 16, 2020 2:41 AM   Subscribe

Cast members (including Kristin Chenoweth, Martin Short, Ricki Lake, Harvey Fierstein, Sean Hayes, Andrea Martin, Matthew Morrison, Michael Ball, Nikki Blonsky, Billy Eichner, Andrew Rannells, Alex Newell, Jenifer Lewis, Derek Hough, Marissa Jaret Winokur, Laura Bell Bundy, Kerry Butler, and Linda Hart) from various stage and screen versions of the musical adaptation of the John Waters movie-that-became-a-musical-that-became-a-movie-and-was-also performed-live-on-TV Hairspray were edited together from their homes to act, sing, and dance the show's finale number "You Can't Stop the Beat" as a fundraising celebration to support the Actors Fund, and frankly, the beat cannot be stopped, and the video is an editing triumph.
posted by MCMikeNamara (31 comments total) 41 users marked this as a favorite
 
The only thing that would be better than this would be the entire show. Thanks for posting!!
posted by Sheydem-tants at 3:20 AM on May 16, 2020 [3 favorites]


I'm really digging how much things like this are catching on. I'm sure they are all editing hell to put together, but the final result is joy which I think is totally worth the effort.

Thanks for posting. Going to go donate now a bit to the Actors Fund. And probably 5 other things. I wish we had a better social safety net, but I have a bit I can share so I will.
posted by hippybear at 4:56 AM on May 16, 2020 [5 favorites]


I’m not even a “theatre person” but that was fantastic. Thanks for sharing!
posted by Silvery Fish at 6:05 AM on May 16, 2020 [3 favorites]


crying with joy at 6:11a

if i have more days start like this in the next month, maybe i won’t be scared to go to the post office anymore.
posted by ovenmitt at 6:12 AM on May 16, 2020 [5 favorites]


Similar videos that have brought me joy this week:
You've Got a Friend
Into the Woods
posted by Flannery Culp at 6:23 AM on May 16, 2020 [11 favorites]


This is simply wonderful! What a great start to my day. Thank you so much for posting!
posted by bookmammal at 6:24 AM on May 16, 2020


Flannery Culp—that You’ve Got a Friend video made me cry—in a good way! SO GOOD! Thanks!
posted by bookmammal at 6:32 AM on May 16, 2020 [1 favorite]


This was so fun! Loved that they included the ASL interpreters!
posted by amarynth at 6:33 AM on May 16, 2020 [4 favorites]


Seeing all three Tracys together warmed my bitter little heart, and made me remember Jerry Stiller when he was in the original movie, RIP.
posted by 41swans at 6:38 AM on May 16, 2020 [2 favorites]


These are all wonderful. You've Got a Friend was lovely. My father in law died this morning. Thank you for this post.
posted by KleenexMakesaVeryGoodHat at 7:00 AM on May 16, 2020 [6 favorites]


You know how everyone loves dogs? How "every dog is a good boy" and "we don't deserve dogs" and all dogs are 13/10?

I feel that way about musical performers. Just absolutely the best, most wonderful humans in the world. Thanks for this.

(Did I miss it or did they really not work in a John Waters cameo?)
posted by Nelson at 7:53 AM on May 16, 2020 [5 favorites]


Needed that SO MUCH today, thank you!
posted by shiny blue object at 8:11 AM on May 16, 2020


Zac Efron's hair is really long right now.
posted by Your Childhood Pet Rock at 8:26 AM on May 16, 2020 [1 favorite]


This was wonderful, and reminded me that I need to watch some musicals, STAT.
posted by cooker girl at 8:30 AM on May 16, 2020


No Waters cameo as far as I could tell - and they thanked John Travolta, but not him! This also makes me miss Divine.
posted by 41swans at 8:59 AM on May 16, 2020 [2 favorites]


Not only the editing, but the coordinated choreography (everyone in the kitchen or dancing on beds, for example) was terrific.

I hope it's okay to add this to the post: Not a musical, but equally clever from the world of performing arts, the Julliard School did a version of Bolero that includes dancing, jazz, singing, and cameos from famous graduates. Watch the credits, too.

Honestly, there should be an award for these pieces although picking the best would be impossible.
posted by AMyNameIs at 9:58 AM on May 16, 2020 [6 favorites]


I agree that this is exactly what the world needs right now.
posted by BlahLaLa at 10:11 AM on May 16, 2020


Perhaps a special Tony next year? Or Obie, or whatever is suitable for (cue Al from Quantum Leap voice) way-way-way-way-way-off-Broadway?

(If the Venn diagram of time travel + schmaltzy romance + showtunes is your thing, look up the QL episode "Catch a Falling Star" aka "in case you forgot Scott Bakula was a Tony nominee)
posted by Flannery Culp at 10:20 AM on May 16, 2020 [3 favorites]


It's not just broadway, though. I mean, there was the group numbers from the Sondheim 90 stream, but there was also the Todrick video that was posted here... there's so much "creative together at home" stuff going on.

I'm sort of hoping we get readers' theater versions of plays and musicals soon. I have always loved those anyway. Sort of halfway between radio plays and fully staged productions.
posted by hippybear at 10:25 AM on May 16, 2020 [1 favorite]


Yes! You know about LA Theatre Works, right? They have a podcast.
posted by Flannery Culp at 10:31 AM on May 16, 2020 [1 favorite]


I do know about LA Theatre Works!
posted by hippybear at 10:34 AM on May 16, 2020


This is happy-making.
posted by tzikeh at 11:44 AM on May 16, 2020 [1 favorite]


That is FANTASTIC. (And I'm adding the Actors Fund to my donation list in appreciation.)

Thank you so much for sharing this with us, MCMikeNamara!
posted by kristi at 11:59 AM on May 16, 2020


I know like six tenths of nothing about musical theater, but that was really joyful, thank you.
posted by jameaterblues at 12:00 PM on May 16, 2020


Outstanding.
posted by rmd1023 at 12:38 PM on May 16, 2020


Thank you so much, that was wonderful!
posted by Bella Donna at 1:10 PM on May 16, 2020


This warmed the cockles of my musical-theater-loving-but-often-not-feeling-it-in-quarantine heart.
posted by desuetude at 8:45 PM on May 17, 2020 [1 favorite]


I love that song. Toe-tappinest!
posted by Sassenach at 9:51 AM on May 18, 2020 [1 favorite]


I'm so glad so many people found joy in this. I found it after a friend had tagged me in it Friday, based probably on my late partner's love of John Waters in general and the musical specifically, and I was sort of apprehensive about watching it for emotional reasons, but then when I couldn't sleep Friday night/Saturday morning, I clicked it and then watched it 5 times in a row, and then got out of bed so I could watch it on a bigger screen than my phone and probably watched it 20 more times before finally falling asleep. I have watched it many more times since as well.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 1:30 PM on May 18, 2020 [4 favorites]


MCMikeNamara: you and are are probably lost brothers from the same mother. I've done that with things in the past, too. Obsessive loops of something new and delightful are the best obsessive loops!
posted by hippybear at 2:24 PM on May 18, 2020 [1 favorite]


Wow, how come I can't watch this without breaking down in tears?

So good. So very what we need.
posted by blurker at 2:41 PM on June 12, 2020


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