Calgary volunteer theatre company brings inclusive atmosphere with ‘Hairspray’
Posted Apr 27, 2026 9:48 am.
Calgary volunteer theatre company Painted Fish Performing Arts Society is keeping up its inclusive mantra with a staging of Hairspray, the musical.
The community theatre company has been producing shows for 17 years and casts performers of all ages and abilities. This can allow families to perform on stage together.
“Our cast ranges in age from 72 to 8 this year,” says Marian Hamilton, both the director and artistic director of the show.
For audience members unfamiliar with the show, Hairspray is a high-energy musical that addresses both weight stigma and racial segregation.
However, this production presented a specific challenge: calling for a biracial cast, which Hamilton explained was hard to come by.
“We had a little trouble finding Black cast members,” she says. “So, we opened up our casting to anyone of colour.”
She says the nature of the casting meant addressing the issue of race head-on.
“At first, it was a little awkward talking about each other by colour, because most of us have gotten way past that in our personal development,” she explained. “And we don’t, we don’t see each other as different colours.”
However, the experience ultimately led to growth within the company.
“Gradually, we have come to accept that we had to see each other that way before we could have resolved the issue,” Hamilton says. “Before we could say, you know, it’s no matter what colour your skin is, we’re all the same.”
The story of Hairspray centres on a teenage girl who wants to dance on a television show and challenges discriminatory norms along the way because of her weight.
“She’s discriminated against,” Hamilton says. “And she discovers that the people who are at her school, who are in detention, and who are all coloured … like to dance with anybody.”
The production’s choreography is led by Eric Pipestone, a hoop dancer from the Tsuut’ina Nation who has appeared on Canada’s Got Talent and So You Think You Can Dance.
“[Pipestone] just brought a spark of joy and life to our choreography,” Hamilton says. “People who could never dance before are up on the stage just giving it.”
She says the show offers a sense of escape at a time when many people are feeling uncertain.
“If you want to break from all of that, this is a feel-good story,” she says. “It’s fun. It’s funny. It’ll make you think.”
Hairspray will be performed at La Cité des Rocheuses Theatre through May 3.
Tickets are available at paintedfish.ca.
