Who doesn’t love Edna Turnblad? She’s awesome!!
I was searching for photos of Paul Vogt of Hairspray on Google Images and I found a picture from an article about John Waters, the director of the original film, and his opinions of all the Ednas through Paul Vogt.
I will be referring to parts of the article throughout this post.
I made a little list of all the Edna’s so you know who I’m talking about:
Divine (1988 Film Version)
Harvey Fierstein [OBC Edna (July 2002 - May 2004)]
Michael McKean (May 2004-October 2004)
Bruce Vilanch (October 2004-September 2005)
John Pinette (September 2005-May 2006)
Blake Hammond (May 2006-January 2007)
Paul Vogt (January 2007-October 2007)
John Travolta (2007 Film)
George Wendt (October 2007-Present)
So I’m going to talk a little bit about Fierstein, Vogt, and Travolta’s interpretations of the role.
Harvey:
“Harvey Fierstein made the role his own. God only knows, his voice is his own. And he sings! You have to sing it out. Everything has to be bigger onstage. Harvey, though, always played it as a real woman.”
-John Waters
I just don’t like his voice. It’s very… different. But he’s a good actor. No offense to Harvey but I can’t listen to any of his songs on the OBCR because I hate his voice so much.
Paul:
He’s awesome. The best Edna ever!! Who else has his awesomeness? I heard once he had a really funny ad-lib. During You Can’t Stop the Beat, his dress got stuck to the Hairspray can so he sang:
You can’t stop my happiness
Cause I like the way I am
And you just can’t stop my knife and fork
When I see a Christmas ham
So If You Don’t Like the way I look
Well it seems I’m stuck to the can!
I bet it got lots of laughter. You have to love his Edna!
John Travolta:
“John Travolta plays Edna as someone who had been young and very hot, but now is stay-at-home and embarrassed to go out of the house. He had been the Russ Meyer girl when he was young. And Russ Meyer girls do get larger in life. It’s like muscle men who don’t work out. They turn into bears.”
-John Waters
Okay John (Travolta) is great in Grease, but bad in Hairspray. I hate his Edna voice and I just don’t know why but I don’t like him in the part.
Okay so that is my post about 3 of the many Edna Turnblads. If you’d like to read about John Waters’ opinions on all of the actors (except for Paul Vogt and George Wendt), read this article: http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117969969.html?categoryid=15&cs=1
Oh and if you haven’t seen Hairspray, go see it! Its a great show.
I’ll list the other many talented actors along with the roles they have played that have been leads in this great show:
Tracy:
Marissa Jaret Winoker
Kathy Brier
Carly Jibson
Shannon Durig
Marissa Perry (Starting April 15, 2008)
Corny Collins:
Clarke Thorell
Jonathan Dokuchitz
Michael Cunio
Lance Bass
Clark Thorell has returned to the show as Corny.
Amber von Tussle:
Laura Bell Bundy
Tracy Jai Edwards
Jordan Ballard
Becky Gulsvig
Hayley Duff
Tara Macri
Brynn O’Malley
Ashley Spencer
Link Larkin:
Matthew Morrison
Richard H. Blake
Andrew Rannels
Aaron Tveit
Ashley Parker Angel
Female Authority Figure:
Jackie Hoffman
Liz Larsen
Julie Halston
Joanna Glushak
Lisa Jolley
Susan Mosher
Male Authority Figure:
Joel Vig
Blake Hammond
Jim J. Bullock
Kevin Meaney
Wilbur Turnblad:
Dick Latessa
Peter Scolari
Todd Susman
Stephen DeRosa
Jere Burns
Jerry Mathers
Jim J. Bullock
Tom Rooney
Seaweed Stubbs:
Corey Reynolds
Chester Gregory II
Terron Brooks
Tevin Campbell
Penny Pingleton:
Kerry Butler
Jenn Gambatese
Brooke Tansley
Tracy Miller
Diana DeGarmo
Caissie Levy
Alexa Vega
Niki Scalera
Velma von Tussle:
Linda Hart
Liz Larsen
Barbara Walsh
Joanna Glushak
Leah Hawking
Isabel Keating
Michele Pawk
Mary Birdsong
Motormouth Maybelle:
Mary Bond Davis
Darlene Love
Jenifer Lewis (Starting in Spring 2008)
Little Inez:
Danelle Eugenia Wilson
Aja Maria
Sabrina Reitman
Nia Imani Soyemi
Chloe Smith
Naturi Naughton
I hope you didn’t get bored! I just wanted you to see who has been in the show!
Thanks for reading!
