Six In The Morning Goes Behind The Scenes On Broadway

Last week, a Tulsa teacher Leslie Goshko got to live out her dream with performing in the Big Apple. Goshko had a rare chance to perform in the hit musical Hairspray in New York City. <br/><br/>Leslie

Tuesday, February 27th 2007, 7:08 am

By: News On 6

Last week, a Tulsa teacher Leslie Goshko got to live out her dream with performing in the Big Apple. Goshko had a rare chance to perform in the hit musical Hairspray in New York City.

Leslie was one of many who submitted an online video in Hairspray's Big Bopper Dance Topper contest. Folks voted for their favorite dancer and Leslie won! The musical officially opened on Broadway in August of 2002. And as Six In The Morning reporter Carina Sonn reports, it takes a lot to keep all that hair spray together.

Last weekendâ€™s performance of Hairspray the musical seems to be going well, no one's fallen or gotten sick, not that the audience knows of anyway, thanks to many folks behind the scenes. About 100 people are responsible for maintaining the musical. From hair and makeup, to electricians and the prop department.

"Thatâ€™s not even counting the people in front of house, ushers, house managers, ticket sellers, all those people, to keep a show running," says Lois Griffing, Hairspray production stage manager.

For each performer you see on stage, there are at least three people working behind the scenes to make this musical happen. Now the real challenge for those folks is to be ready for anything. "The lead, Tracy Turnblad, her wig kinda came apart on stage. We combed her hair and we got it all together and I went to spray with the can and the can was a dud," says Stephanie Barnes who does the hair and makeup.

But not flying wigs, an ice storm or even a rash of the flu bug can stop Broadway. And when the "steps" align, the audience usually can't tell the difference. "This is live, this is not a movie where you get a chance to do it over again. Every night it's the first time, every night, the audience it's their first time, it's the excitement of feeling them experience the show for the first time and us doing it for them, regardless of what your role is, even if you're the carpenter on deck. You feel that audience energy," says Lois Griffing. And that's a good thing, because the hair must be sprayed and the show must go on.

Leslie Goshko teaches at the Tulsa School of Arts and Sciences. On Wednesday morning, Six In The Morning will look at Leslie Goshkoâ€™s performance on Broadway last weekend.

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