European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 20, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 12 0 Star Sand stripes tuesday March 20 2007 faces return to stage Travolta makes musical comeback with Hairspray by David Germain the associated press Las vegas John Travolta fans finally have their two big wishes his return to movie musicals after almost 30 years and his first role As a plump Baltimore housewife Travolta Heads the Bill in a new production of Hairspray whose cast helped preview the film wednesday night and blew the roof off the joint with show stopping footage and live musican dance numbers at slowest an annual convention of theater owners Ive had the itch for 30 years to return to movie musicals said Travolta who wears a fat suit and prosthetic jowls for the gender bending part his first musical role since 1978s grease i thought maybe its smart to come Back to it in a whole different Way an unexpected Way because How do you top grease Travolta told the associated press adapted from the Broadway stage hit which in turn was based on John Waters 1988 cult film starring Ricki Lake Hairspray is the Story of Tracy Turnblad newcomer Nikki an overweight sweetheart of a Baltimore girl who takes a stand for civil rights in the 1960s by leading the charge to integrate a teen dance show on television Travolta plays tracks Tubby mom Edna a role originated by Waters regular divine in the first film with Adam Shankman directing the new film features Michelle Pfeiffer As the villainous to station owner and Mother of tracks rival Queen Latifah As the saucy record shop owner Motormouth Maybile Amanda Bynes As tracks Best pal and Christopher Walken As tracks dad and Ednas husband Walken gives Travolta an affectionate kiss on the Cheek in one scene when Travolta first appeared on screen it took a few moments for the crowd of theater owners to realize who it was they began whispering to one another that John Travolta each of his scenes was greeted with Hearty laughs and applause As Travolta played the part with surprising sweetness and femininity John Travolta left in character As Edna Turnblad and actress Nikki Blonsky As Tracy Turnblad appear in a scene from the new film Hairspray David James new line Cinema a i tried to make it so you never really knew it was me that you thought it was some sort of eccentric overweight woman divine always had kind of the Wink that it was a Man playing a woman but i tried not to have the Wink said Travolta who spent five hours a Day getting into his makeup and did his four musical numbers for the film inside the hot heavy Getup its not easy but part of my character interpretation is i pretended that she thought she was 100 pounds i played opposite the weight like a flying elephant or something Pfeiffer a fan of the Broadway version said Hairspray has a deceptive social consciousness wrapped up in a sugary to tapping package its very entertaining very funny and at the same time deals with subject matter that is really uncomfortable for most people to talk about Pfeiffer said you dont realize that this kind of Brilliant message about bigotry and Rac 117 thought maybe its smart to come Back to it in a whole different Way an unexpected Way because How do you top grease John Travolta ism is being washed Over you while youre being entertained in this sort of Sweet innocent Way Latifah who scored an Academy award nomination for her previous movie adaptation of a stage musical Chicago said she loved both Waters original film and the Broadway adaptation of Hairspray this was a Chance for us to do it our Way i always like to see what happens when a director and the studio use their imagination to bring something from Broadway to the screen especially when its been on the screen then Broadway now Back to the screen said Latifah who performed one of her numbers from Hairspray for theater owners wednes Day night fans of Waters and the Baltimore Milieu of his films can take heart that the original filmmaker endorses the new version which hits Heaters july 20 Waters appears in a Cameo near the begin Ning of the film As a dirty old Man who flashes Tracy on the Street former files Star Duchovny to play self destructive writer David Duchovny who starred As special agent Fox Mulder in the files will re turn to television in a new Showtime comedy about a self de Struc Tive writer the 46yearold actor will play Hank a novelist whose obsession with truth Tell ing and self destruct Tive behaviour drinks drugs and relationships Are both destroying and enrich ing his career the Cable network announced thursday Hanks issues complicate his relationships with his 13yearold daughter played by Madeleine Martin and an a Girlfriend Natascha Duchovny the series will premiere in August said Showtime networks inc a division of lbs corp the show does not yet have a title the files ran from 1993 to 2002 invasion actor Cibrian and his wife expecting 2nd child Eddie Cibrian who starred on televisions third watch and invasion and his wife Brandi Are expecting a second child next month publicist Lauren Kucerak said Friday the couple has a 3yearold son Mason Cibrian 33 is Best known As new York firefighter Jimmy Doherty on abcs third watch which ran from 19992005 he also starred on abcs invasion por Cibrian trying Park Ranger Russell Varon and the 1998 to movie logans War bound by Honor Oprah Winfrey opens second school for South african youth Oprah Winfrey opened her second school for poor South african youth Friday in Shay Amoya South Africa an innovative environmentally Friendly institution she Hopes will be a Model for Public education the seven fountains primary school was funded by Oprah Angel network a Public Charity that supports organizations and projects focused on education and liter Acy survivor Winner Hatch says prison life is horrendous1 Richard Hatch who won million on survivor says being in prison for failing to pay taxes on his reality to prize and other income is no Day at the Beach Hatch who became known As the naked fat Guy for refusing to Wear clothes for much of the lbs show was convicted last year he was sentenced to 51 months in prison and is at the Federal correctional institution in Morgantown Eva a a minimum Security facility obviously this is better than the county lockup Hatch tells people Magazine in its March 26 Issue theres no Fence Here but people think Ive come to a country club its not this is prison just because its got a Beautiful View of the Countryside Doest make it a resort and its horrendous because in an innocent Man in stories and photos from the associated press Hatch