HAIRSPRAY

Set: 1960s Baltimore, America. In the middle of the racial segregation.

Tracy Turnblad: A bubbly, vibrant young girl who loves to sing and dance and

wishes to be accepted for who she is despite the way she looks.

Edna Turnblad: Tracys mother, nervous and very self conscious of her looks but

has a very good relationship with her daughter, Tracy.

Penny Pingleton: A shy, quirky young girl who looks up to her best friend Tracy and

wishes to escape from her over-bearing mother.

Prudy Pingleton: Pennys mother, very strict and religious, she doesnt allow Penny

to have fun.

Amber Von Tussle: Star of The Corny Collins Show, very confident and selfish,

follows in her mothers footsteps.

Velma Von Tussle: Ambers mother, pushes her into show business, is very rude

and selfish.

Scene 1: Turnblad House

(Tracy & Penny rush home from school to watch The Corny Collins Show. Edna

Turnblad is ironing at home, expecting the arrival of Prudy Pingleton.)

Tracy: Hurry Penny, were missing it!

Penny: I know, but my Mom says Im not allowed to perspire!

Tracy: Quicker!

Penny: I know, I am, I am!

Edna: Tracy Turnblad, you know better than to run around in this house! Slow down!

Tracy: But were going to miss it, Mom!

Edna: Miss what?

Penny: The Corny Collins Show, Mrs T! Its the greatest, coolest, most amazing show on TV!

Edna: Well, its going to turn your brains into mud. How am I supposed to iron and negotiate

my pleats with that racket on?

Tracy: Its not racket, Ma! Theyre the Nicest Kids in Town! With the sweetest new dance

moves

Penny: Yeah, like The Stricken Chicken and The Pony Step.

(Tracy and Penny dance the steps in front of Edna.)

Edna: Hmm, well, Im not sure all this exposure to chickens and ponies is good for young

ladies like you!

Prudy (off stage)Edna!

Edna: Im in here, Prudy.

(Hearing Prudys voice, Penny tries to hide behind Tracy. Prudy enters, completely

ignoring Tracy.)

Prudy: Edna, is my laundry ready?

Edna: Yep, thatll be $3.00, hon.

Prudy: Thats pretty pricey for a pair of petty pants.

Edna: Well, Im sorry Prudy, but some of those stains required poundin with a rock!

Prudy: Im sure I dont know what you mean.

(Sees Tracy dancing, not noticing Penny hiding.)

Youre not letting Tracy watch those silly TV shows again, are you? My Penny spends every day after school at the Stamp and Coin Club.

Edna: Oh, really? Well, your daughter happ

(Interrupted by Tracy waving at her to be quiet.)

Oh, what is this? The Wavin Raven?

(Tracy mouths Dont tell, Prudy to Edna and indicates to Penny behind her. Prudy misses all of this.)

Edna: Tracy Turnblad, are you trying to tell me that Penny didnt get permission from her

mother to be here?

Prudy: What? Penny!

(Penny reveals herself in front of Prudy and Edna. Prudy goes over and grabs Pennys hand.)

You are banned from this house. You will never watch that show again!

Penny: Without that show I have nothing!

Prudy: Having nothing builds character! Toodle-oo, Edna.

(Prudy and Penny leave the house.)

Edna: Tut tut, Tracy Turnblad. You should know better. I think its time that we turned that

show off.

Tracy: Oh Mom, please. Just five more minutes!

(Edna watches the television screen for a moment.)

Edna: Hmm, shes awful pretty. Whats her name?

Tracy: Thats Amber Von Tussle. Shes won Miss Teenage Hairspray five times running! I

wish I could be as pretty as her and perform on The Corny Collins Show every single day!

Edna: Oh Tracy, you dont wanna be like her. Youre perfect and wonderful the way you are.

And going to school is far better than being on some crazy TV show.

Tracy: Well, actually, Ma. I wanted to ask you something. The Corny Collins Show is holding

open auditions for a new dancer and I really want to go and try

Edna (interrupting) Nope, stop right there, young lady! No one is auditioning for anything in this household.

Tracy: But why not?

Edna: I dont want to hear another word about it, Tracy.

Tracy: Mom, come on!

Edna: Not another word, you hear?

(Tracy storms off in a huff.)

Scene 2: Pingleton House

(Prudy has sat Penny down on a chair and is walking round her.)

Prudy: Penny Lou Pingleton, you are absolutely, positively, permanently punished.

Penny: Im sorry, Mother.

Prudy: Oh, its too late for that. You will never see that Tracy Turnblad again, unless its with

my say-so.

Penny: Mother, why are you so mean?

Prudy: Its for your own good, Penny. There are evil people out there.

Penny: Tracy isnt evil. Youre crazy. Justjust

(Tracy, Edna, Amber and Velma come on stage.)

Prudy: What, young lady?

Mama, Im a Big Girl Now

Scene 3: WYZT Television Studios

(Velma and Amber are having a conversation, when Tracy, Edna, Penny and Prudy

enter the Television Studios. They watch the group from afar and laugh to each

other.)

Tracy: Oh my Gosh, Penny, theres Link! I dont believe it! Pinch me.

(Penny pinches her.) Owww!

Penny: Sorry, but you did tell me to!

Tracy: I cant believe Im really here auditioning!

Edna: Now, Tracy, get a hold of yourself. You need to be professional and mature.

Prudy: Mature? Oh please, some of these kids look fresh out of diapers!

Penny: Mother, you promised you wouldnt say anything mean. This is Tracys big chance!

(Amber walks over.)

Amber: Good morning, ladies. I trust youre not all here to audition?

Tracy: No, just me. Hi, Im Tracy Turnblad. Its so nice to meet you and

Amber (interrupting) Yes, well, we dont really have time for all that, Miss. So, can you dance?

Penny: Oh, Tracy is the best dancer at our school! And she watches The Corny Collins Show

every single day!

Edna (proud) Its true. She prances around our house doing The Finger Lickin Chicken and The Cute Newt and whatever else you do on your show!

Tracy (embarrassed) Its The Stricken Chicken, Mom. And theres no such thing as The Cute Newt.

Prudy: Well, I think it all sounds preposterous. Creating dance moves from the names of

animals? Why, its animal cruelty!

Penny: Mother! Shut up!

(Amber walks towards Tracy.)

Amber: Well, wed be more than happy for you to audition. But unfortunately, our show isnt broadcast in Cinemascope!

Tracy: Excuse me?

Amber: But Im sure the camera guy will manage just fine.

Edna: He shouldnt have to manage at all! Come on, Tracy. You dont need this.

Penny: Yeah, Tracy, your Moms right. Youre better than all this.

Prudy: I quite agree.

Amber: Well, thank you for showing up, Tracy. Im sure there will be room for you some other time.

Tracy: Thanks. Youre too kind. Oh, and Amber? Your hair looks a little flat!

Amber (shocked) What?!

Tracy: Bye!

(Tracy, Penny, Edna and Prudy all begin to exit, giggling at Amber.)

Amber (fuming) Argh!

Edna: Oh, calm down, dear. Nothing a little hairspray wont fix.

(Amber exist on the opposite side.)