Meet Hairspray Presenting Sponsors Rick Tedrick and Shawn Wright!

At Clear Space Theatre, our productions are made possible through the generous support of our incredible community. Each season, we shine a spotlight the individuals and businesses who help bring our shows to life. We hope you’ll enjoy meeting Rick Tedrick and Shawn Wright, the Presenting sponsors of Hairspray.

A long time resident of Rehoboth Beach, Rick has been a supporter of Clear Space for many years, co-sponsoring productions and consistently leveraging his generosity to offer matching challenges in support of our Arts Institute during our annual Tony Party. His love of Clear Space is so strong that when he and Shawn got married in the fall of 2023, they chose to have their wedding ceremony at Clear Space, right on the mainstage. We are so grateful to both Rick and Shawn for their generosity and their consistent wise council.

What inspired you to sponsor this show?
We’ve been sponsoring shows at Clear Space for nearly a decade. When Hairspray was announced for this summer, we knew it was the perfect fit. It’s a happy, fun musical—and we love that kind of energy.

How did you first get involved with Clear Space Theatre?
David Button introduced us to Clear Space. We were used to seeing shows in New York and were hesitant about local theatre at first. But David assured us the quality here was fantastic. After seeing our first show, we were completely sold.

What role do the arts play in your own life?
Neither of us are actors—and we definitely can’t sing—but we love watching the incredibly talented performers at Clear Space do their thing. They bring meaning and heart to every performance.

Why do you believe supporting the arts in our community matters?
It’s another amazing way Rehoboth brings people together. Theatre is great entertainment, and it connects people who love the arts and appreciate live performance.

How familiar were you with this show before? What was your favorite thing about it?
We’re both very familiar with Hairspray and have seen it many times. Our favorite part was the energy and talent of the entire cast—but Ashley Williams as Motormouth Maybelle truly stood out.

Was there a moment or message from the show that resonated with you?
When Ashley used her Motormouth to belt out her solo—that moment was powerful.

What would you say to someone considering seeing this show?
Go! It’s incredibly entertaining, and you’ll leave the theatre smiling.

We’re so grateful to Rick and Shawn for their generous support of Hairspray! We would also like to thank the Cape Gazette for serving as the supporting sponsorship of Hairspray – look for a blog post about them in the weeks to come as well. If you’d like to learn more about being a production sponsor at Clear Space, please contact Director of Development Jason Matthews at jason@clearspacetheatre.org.