Tips for Directing Hairspray
Make it Sparkle Video with Ray Palasz
Theatre Director and Teacher
3:31 (runtime)
Director’s Notes
Theatre Director and Teacher Ray Palasz reflects on directing 'Hairspray' pre-Black Lives Matter movement, addressing the concern of the right demographic auditioning.
The decision to direct 'Hairspray' was influenced by student discussions, particularly from students of color who wanted more representation in the shows.
One of their successful castings was a female student who wanted to play Seaweed, a male character. This demonstrated the flexibility and inclusivity in casting.
Ray underscores the importance of being open to diverse casting, including transgender and non-binary individuals.
His major advice for directing 'Hairspray' is to ensure students understand the historical context, beyond just the musical storyline.
Ray urges directors to help their cast research and understand the real historical elements in 'Hairspray' for accurate and meaningful character portrayals.
About Ray Palasz
Ray has been in theatre education for 17 years, directing at Lake Central High School and more recently, Munster High School. His directing credits include Lives of the Saints, Tartuffe, It’s a Wonderful Life, Drum Taps, As You Like It, The Harvey Girls, The Refugee Women, and Much Ado About Nothing. As a student, he performed in over twenty productions from sixth through twelfth grade, helping lead his high school to two consecutive state championships in Readers Theatre. Ray is the current Co-Chapter Director for Indiana Thespians, and has served on several committees with the Educational Theatre Association. He also has developed curriculum with Theatrefolk’s Drama Teacher Academy. He is also a member of the United States Institute for Theatre Technology. Ray earned his BA in Theatre and Television Arts from Valparaiso University in 2003. In 2012, Ray earned his MA in Literature and Composition from Purdue University Calumet. In 2015 he married his wife Courtney, a middle school choir director. They have two beautiful sons, Elias and Isaac!