Ladies and gentlemen, Seaweed has arrived. "Run and Tell That" in Hairspray Live! was an amazing change of pace and breakout number for Ephraim Sykes as Seaweed Stubbs. The song, which bemoans racism and celebrates blackness in the heart of segregation and the Civil Rights movement, is already a highlight of the live musical.
As fans of Hairspray know, the musical and the film its based on are not just about a girl who gets a spot on her favorite local television program. She uses her position, power, and privilege to spark social change. Tracy Turnblad really is an iconic character. After meeting Seaweed and his family and begrudging the fact that only white participants are allowed on the Corny Collins Show Mother-Daughter Day special, she decides to lead a protest march for integration.
"Run and Tell That" is not only Tracy's introduction to that world, but it is Seaweed's first big solo in the show. Ephraim Sykes effortlessly lead the number, with some fun rhythmic choices that helped to make it his own, and the choreography was dynamic and breath-taking. The transition from the gym to Seaweed's family record store was perfect. They killed it. Weird that the sun set so fast after school in Baltimore, but it was ultimately worth it for all that shadow choreography.
Plus, this song introduced Little Inez — who everyone knows is the true star of Hairspray. "Run and Tell That" is one of my personal favorites, and NBC did it justice.
Image: Trae Patton/NBC
