Hairspray

The story of a big girl with even bigger dreams, Hairspray is set in the tease-your-hair-into-a-giant-bouffant-and-spray-it-stiff-as-a-board 1960s. Tracy Turnblad, a plus-size teen, wants nothing more than to appear on The Corny Collins Show, a dance program on local television. Well, that and to have Link, the cutest boy in school, as her boyfriend. Oh, and integration, so she can hang out with her black friends, who don’t seem to mind her being a little hefty. Standing in her way is a devilish mother-daughter duo who block her at every turn. But Tracy, ever the chubby optimist, just dances around them.

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More About

• Hobby Center for the Performing Arts
• John Waters
• Tracy Turnblad
• Arts, Entertainment, and Media
• Theater

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Based on the 1988 film by John Waters, the musical Hairspraywon eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical, when it debuted on Broadway in 2003. A second film version, with significant changes, was made in 2007 (with Zac Efron as Link). Paul Vogt, who plays Tracy’s mom (the role is always played by a man), tells us that the stage play is different from the second film in that both Tracy and her mom, Edna, are stronger characters. Tracy fights against segregation with as much enthusiasm as she dances, and Edna goes from being a woman with stringy hair and no self-esteem to being a confident dress designer. 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, 8 p.m. Fridays, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturdays, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Sundays. Through October 17. Hobby Center, 800 Bagby. For information, call 713-558-8887 or visit www.tuts.com. $35 to $119.
Tuesdays-Sundays. Starts: Oct. 5. Continues through Oct. 17, 2010