Leading up to high school, I really enjoyed theater, but didn’t know you could go to school to major in it and make it a career. From there, my mom got me into community theater and youth theater in Fort Wayne, and I eventually moved to Chicago and the rest is history.Īt what point did you realize this was something you wanted to make a career of? When we had family parties, my cousins and I would get together to do little numbers to Disney songs, and have my aunts and uncles and cousins watch. My very first love of theater started watching Disney movies when I was little. What led you to theater in the first place? Leading into the opening of the show, Dawson took some time to share about the show, his longtime experience with it and what audiences can expect: Frank-N-Furter in “The Rocky Horror Show.”

Joining Dawson is a diverse and talented cast, including Niki Metcalf as Tracy Turnblad and Andrew Levitt, also known as Nina West from “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” as Edna Turnblad, Tracy’s mom.ĭawson, a native of Fort Wayne, has performed in a variety of roles in both international theater and regional shows, including gigs at Universal Studios Japan as Quasimodo in “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” Dr. “Hairspray” tells the story of 16-year-old Tracy Turnblad in 1960s Baltimore as she sets out to dance her way onto TV’s most popular show. 21 to 26 at Old National Centre in downtown Indianapolis. The Broadway production comes to Indianapolis on Feb. You’re always on your toes.”ĭawson is back for a second run in the traveling production of “Hairspray,” reprising his role as Corny Collins, the energetic dance show host at the core of the musical. You really have no time to settle in too much and be complacent, because that’s when things go awry. There are new members of the cast who come on, and we’re in new theaters all the time. “I’m blessed to work with a group of artists on stage who keep each other fresh. “One question I always get is, ‘How do you keep it fresh? Do you get bored?’ No, I don’t get bored,” he said. 21-26 at Old National Centre.Īfter more than 300 shows portraying the same character, it could be forgiven if the experience became stale.īut for actor Bill Dawson, having the opportunity to portray the effervescent TV host Corny Collins in the hit musical “Hairspray” carries the same energy and excitement as his opening night. Billy Dawson, a Fort Wayne native, as Corny Collins in the Broadway musical “Hairspray.” The musical comes to Indianapolis from Feb.

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