Hairspray

Musical

Writers: Thomas Meehan Mark O'Donnell Marc Shaiman Scott Wittman

Plot

Act One

It is 1962 in Baltimore, Maryland. As the alarm clock rings, and we see a plus-sized teen waking up for school, we are introduced to Tracy Turnblad. This fun-loving, somewhat oversized young woman reflects on how she loves her city and reveals to us her dreams of becoming a star of song and dance ("Good Morning Baltimore"). She sings all the way to school as she introduces us to her hometown, Baltimore.

After school, we see Tracy and her best friend, Penny Pingleton, rushing home to catch their favorite show on television. "The Corny Collins Show" features teenagers like Tracy and Penny teaching and performing popular 60s dance moves (“The Nicest Kids in Town”). As Tracy and Penny watch, Tracy’s mother, Edna, irons the neighbors' laundry to make extra money. When Penny’s mother arrives to pick up her laundry, she objects to her daughter watching "colored music" performed on television.

The action then shifts from Tracy’s television show,

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Hairspray guide sections