An Arkansas high school theater department got a message of support for their recently performed musical from a Hollywood actor who starred in the movie version.
Actor John Travolta sent a video message to the theater department at North Little Rock High School, wishing them the best in their performance of Hairspray.
“North Little Rock cast of Hairspray, John Travolta here,” the actor says to start the 12-second-long video. “You have a great time performing that show. I’ll be thinking about you. Most of all, good luck.”
The high school performed the musical toward the end of February, according to their website. The video was posted on the department’s Facebook page midday Friday.
Travolta starred in the 2007 movie version of Hairspray, a remake of the 1998 film of the same name by John Waters. The musical romantic-comedy also became a Broadway production in 2002.
The film follows the story of Tracy Turnblad, a teenager who dreams of becoming famous and lands a spot as a dancer on a popular TV show during the height of racial segregation in the early 1960s. Travolta played Turnblad’s mother and agoraphobe, Edna, who was also played by a man in the original version of the film.
North Little Rock Musical Director Mike Noland said his students were shocked when they came to school Friday morning and he showed them Travolta's message for the first time.
"Oh my God, they squealed. I mean they just screamed," Noland said.
Noland said he connected with Travolta through a friend of his who works in the movie business. Reaching out to actors and actresses who starred in original versions of the high school's productions has become something of a tradition, he said.
Last year, when the high school performed In the Heights, Noland got a few kudos through tweets and emails from famous cast members, including Lin-Manuel Miranda.
Acknowledgement from someone like Miranda or Travolta can be encouraging for students with big dreams, Noland said. When they receive a congrats from someone successful, students get the message that "in the future, that could be one of you guys," Noland said.
To say thank you, the teenage cast filmed themselves performing a dance number on their high school stage and posted it on Facebook.
Check out both videos at the North Little Rock Theater High School Art Department Facebook page.