Tracy Turnblad travels from Baltimore to Jerusalem where Encore! Educational Theatre brings HAIRSPRAY to the stage to feature 32 Anglo-Israeli and Ethiopian-Israeli singers, dancers and actors to share the story of empowerment, freedom, confidence and equality. Director Eli Kaplan-Wildmann explains, “Our cast is made up of people who face these issues today in their own lives, and we hope to bring an awareness of that to Jerusalem.”  To help achieve these goals, the company has teamed up with Malkat Shva, an Ethiopian Youth Cultural Performance Group; Machol Shalem, a Jerusalem-based dance troupe, and Abraham Hostel.  Together the cast is very diverse and includes performers both new and old to the stage for performances between March 5 and 21.

For more info see the full article here.