There was no doubt that LBMT’s Hairspray was going to be a great musical. I knew that going in. What I didn’t expect, however, was a show that-so chock-full of energy and humor and enthusiasm—would truly blow me away. And, that Hairspray did.

Hairspray, set in Baltimore in the 1960s, is the story of an overweight girl, Tracy, who aspires to dance on the fictional Corny Collins Show. In the process, she falls in love with the dreamy Link Larkin and attempts to racially integrate the show. It’s a large and complicated role to play, and junior Kirsten Chase nailed it. Her voice was cheery and optimistic, just like Tracy should be.

The rest of the cast shared Chase’s enthusiasm. Junior Tyler King (Link Larkin) played the perfect teenage heartthrob, with a stunning voice and a robust charisma. Tracy’s best friend, Penny (senior Kaitlyn Lunardi) had an equally strong appearance: her dopey, gawky stage persona complemented well the undeniable charm of her love interest, Seaweed (sophomore Micah Super).

Tracy’s parents, Edna (sophomore Josh Lee) and Wilbur (senior Michael Sparrow) were a riot; their dance to “You’re Timeless to Me” was the funniest thing I’ve seen in a musical. Velma (senior Sarah Kreinbrink) and Amber Von Tussle (sophomore Michaela Nichols), the mother and daughter pair, played an excellent (albeit, terrifying) set of villains. Motormouth Maybelle (junior Asjah Janece), the lively record shop owner, provided a nice balance of sass and serious dialogue about racism. But besides named characters, every other actor or actress showed an enthusiasm for the show unmatched by any production I’ve seen in the Little Theatre. The ensemble was as talented as it was large. There were 62 performers in the show, and they all proved to be top-notch.

But the cast isn’t the only part of the show. Everything else came together perfectly to create an authentic ‘60s atmosphere. The set, firstly, was big and bright and vivid with lots and lots of colors. The costumes and hair were the same. Neon clothes and teased hair made for a truly scintillating experience. LBMT actually contracted Paul Mitchell, the hair-styling school based in Tyson’s Corner, to do their hair. The lighting and sound did nothing but enhance the production as well, giving Hairspray a brilliantly produced and truly genuine sixties vibe.

All in all, Hairspray was fantastic. The standing ovation the cast received in their opening performance is a testament to that. In fact, Hairspray is a great example of how to do musical theater correctly. Hairspray was fun and happy. Hairspray made the entire audience smile. Hairspray had strong actors with a strong technical base and phenomenal backstage work. And a great musical, like Hairspray, is worth more than the sum of its parts.