Staff Writer Manaia Taula-Lieras (CC ‘28) attends BTE’s brief and beautiful musical renditions of Hairspray and Little Shop of Horrors for a night that centered on Black voices and reflected on social issues.

The space was buzzing with excitement as audience members filed into Wang Pavilion on Saturday night. The Columbia University Black Theatre Ensemble hosted their Medley Night, showcasing two 10 to 15-minute medleys from the musicals Hairspray and Little Shop of Horrors. Hairspray director Christina Williams (GS ‘27) and Little Shop of Horrors co-directors Nadege Sainsurin (CC ‘27) and Grayson Simpkins (CC ‘27) stepped on stage for a quick introduction to the medley, expressing how deeply proud they were of the cast’s dedication to the show.

After this warm welcome, the Hairspray medley commenced with Tracy Turnblad, played by Ariana Báñez (BC ‘27), dancing down the aisle. She sang “Good Morning Baltimore,” introducing the setting of the show and drawing on the optimism that characterizes Tracy. Then, with the sound of a school bell, the ensemble joined on stage for “Nicest Kids in Town” with Preston Trout’s (CC ‘29) charming performance as Corny Collins. The song foreshadowed the musical’s discussion of racial segregation that is pivotal to its storyline.

In a fashion fit for the title, the ensembles jogged into the aisle for “Run and Tell That,” hitting peppy dance moves that had the audience bobbing to the beat. Garhyson Gaddy (CC ‘28) was an engaging Seaweed, bringing the melody together with smooth vocals and fancy footwork reminiscent of the 60s. Colorful dresses sported by the rest of the cast only further brought together the convincing execution of this era, as Anjalee Hardy (CC ‘27), wearing a glimmering red dress, delivered an astounding performance of “Big, Blonde and Beautiful” as Motormouth Maybelle.

My personal favorite of the night was “The New Girl In Town,” which featured an upbeat trio between Teniola Adedire (CC ‘28), Nike Oladapo (CC ‘29), and Lila Dorsett (SEAS ‘28). Dressed in pink with all sorts of glitz and glam, the “Dynamites” synchronized choreography and sang an upbeat tune that drew inspiration from popular 60s groups like the Marvelettes. The song marked the rhythm and blues group’s one-night-only performance on the Corny Collins show and got the audience snapping and swaying along to its harmonic style.

The “Ladies’ Choice” and “I Know Where I’ve Been”, when performed consecutively, appeared to underscore the show’s overarching themes of racial inequality and segregation. The first song, sung by Link Larkin—Peyton Munroe (BC ‘26)—took on a peppy tone and rapid tempo that described women’s autonomy and pushed for this agency regardless of societal expectations. Switching gears, the latter song, performed by Hardy, Gaddy, and Adedire, delivered a powerful message about the continued hardships experienced by Black people and the equally continual existence of hope for the future. Structuring the medley to clarify the distinctions between the upbeat and serious tones of each song allowed for recognition of the ways white characters dealt with social issues, but were still not exempt from benefiting from institutional racism.

Next, “Without Love” brought together the idea of expressing love for all people and the show’s emphasis on both body positivity and greater acceptance of one another across the socially constructed color line. Finally, the ensemble took to the stage together one last time for “You Can’t Stop the Beat,” twisting, jumping, and snapping their fingers around the stage and into the aisle once again. The audience showed up and showed out, delivering the enthusiasm that the performers wholeheartedly deserved after their dedication to rehearsals over the course of six weeks. There was not an attendee left sitting when the show came to a close.

After a brief intermission, the second part of the show began. Crystal, Ronette, and Chiffon, played by Ymanie Kenan (CC ‘26), Zara Williamson (CC ‘26), and Elaina Taylor (BC ‘27), respectively, broke into a soulful trio for “Prologue,” which introduced the show’s namesake. Followed by “Skid Row (Downtown),” the juxtaposition was introduced between fast-paced rhythms and intense ballads, leaving everyone on the edge of their seat. The majority of the cast also joined on stage for this melody, which made it engaging to hear so many different voices at once.

Leo Gray’s (CC ‘29) Seymour was entertaining and drew lots of laughter from the audience while singing “Ya Never Know” and “Feed Me (Git It)” alongside Anjalee Hardy as Audrey II. Arya Balian (CC ‘26) as Audrey, in collaboration with Gray, also delivered a beautiful rendition of “Suddenly Seymour” that brought the crowd’s energy down to a reflective silence. As Little Shop of Horrors continued, the greater themes about the risks of desire when unchecked truly showed through. Attendees were able to recognize the show’s critique of consumerist society that pressures people to make poor choices in the name of ambition.

Although Little Shop of Horrors already highlights class struggles during the Nixon administration, urging caution when it comes to ambition, this format allowed for a greater emphasis on race. The trio of Black artists was spotlighted ahead of the narrative of Seymour and Audrey, his romantic interest, urging audiences to think in an intersectional way about race and class in this period. Similarly, Hairspray does explicitly focus on racial inequality, but by choosing songs for this medley that particularly discussed the persisting pride for Black culture in the midst of injustice, it allowed for a more direct focus on Black joy and resilience. Though the medley format was enjoyable for its fast-paced progression, it served an important role in centering Black voices in a way that the original musical formats may not have thoroughly accomplished.

Image via Author