Good Morning, Baltimore, and welcome back to my blog! For this post, I will be talking about another one of my favorite “Must-See” musicals: Hairspray! I was fortunate enough to have seen this show in Philadelphia when it was on tour last May, and I absolutely loved it for so many reasons. Before I break down my reasons on why I love this show, let me give you a little background information on Hairspray if you are unfamiliar with it.
Hairspray follows the story of a Baltimore high school girl, Tracy Turnblad, during the years of integration in America after the end of segregation during the 1960s. It is Tracy’s dream to make it big in the world and get to dance on TV on her favorite show, the Corny Collins Show. Because of Tracy’s view that “I [Tracy] am all for integration; it’s the New Frontier,” she is treated differently in school, but impresses Corny Collins and is added to the show. After battling with the TV station and ending up in Photo Source jail, Tracy ultimately succeeds in her quest to integrate TV so that black and white people can all dance together.
So, now that you know a little bit about Hairspray, let’s dive into my reasons on why everyone “Must-See” this musical!
- The Music and Dancing
The music and dancing in this show truly blows me away. The numbers are all high-energy, fun, and upbeat. The show takes you back to the sixties with the dance moves and the tune of each song. There are spectacular group numbers, such as Good Morning Baltimore, You Can’t Stop the Beat, and Nicest Kids in Town; there are impactful power ballads like I Know Where I’ve Been, Without Love, and It Takes Two; and the song Big, Blonde, and Beautiful captures the essence of fighting for equality against the TV station. My favorite songs include Mama I’m a Big Girl Now, It Takes Two, Without Love, and You Can’t Stop the Beat. Also, there is a song in the musical that is not in the movie! It is the act 2 opener, titled The Big Dollhouse that takes place in jail right after the protest demanding integration on TV!
(Video: You Can’t Stop the Beat from Hairspray Live!)
- Character Complexity
The characters drive the storyline of Hairspray, and it is the characters that make audiences fall in love with the show. Tracy Turnblad alone is complex enough as a character, not to mention all of the others. It is pointed out by characters early in the show that Tracy is a plus-size girl, but this does not stop her from pursuing her dreams. In fact, she tells her people that she looks like the viewers watching the show from their house, and that it is time for them to be represented on screen. Tracy provides comedic relief throughout the musical by cracking numerous jokes, and she excites other characters to rally behind her and her friends in the fight for equal screen time for black and white dancers. Another complex character is Penny Pingleton, Tracy’s best friend. Audiences learn that as Penny was raised, her mother would threaten her by saying “Don’t you disobey me! Just you wait till your father gets…if he ever gets home,” and Penny’s mother was not fond of her dating a black man. However, Penny falls in love with Tracy’s friend from detention, Seaweed. What makes Penny a complex character is that as the show progresses and she falls more in love with Seaweed, you can see her mother and other characters abandon their previous notions Photo Source about black people. In the end of the musical when TV is officially integrated, Penny and Seaweed officially start dating, as to show that their relationship and love for each other developed with the idea of racial integration.
- The Message
The dancing, music, and characters are great and all, but if there were one thing alone to sell me on watching Hairspray again and again, it is the message. Hairspray is about giving people who do not look like they belong on TV a chance to shine, whether that be because of the color of their skin, or because they are bigger, like Tracy. Hairspray’s main focus is on integrating TV networks and breaking social stigmas about black people; however, there is also a dual message with seeing people perform who are bigger or are plus sizes. All of the dancers on TV, before Tracy joined the cast, were all skinny and looked perfect according to societal beauty standards. Tracy did not fit these criteria, but that did not stop her from trying, and ultimately dancing on TV breaking that barrier as well. Moreover, Hairspray truly is a timeless musical that resonates strongly with current events. There is still social unrest about racial inequality in America, especially when it comes to police brutality and protesting. There is a protest staged in Hairspray in which Tracy goes to jail for it, which happens today. The parallels are never-ending between this musical and today’s society.
(Video: Inside Analysis of Hairspray and the Message it Shares with Audiences)
Ultimately, Hairspray is just an all-around, feel-good musical that holds a special place in my heart. For this reason, I think that all people “Must-See” Hairspray at some point in their life. There is a movie version of it, as well as a pro-tape recording from when it aired live a few years ago people can watch with only slight differences from the musical. But the Musical in my opinion does not disappoint and everyone “Must See” it.
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