Opera Glasses, Love, Racism, and Hairspray: A Review
Hairspray the musical is set in Baltimore, Maryland the year is 1962. Our hero in the musical is is a young overweight girl named Tracy. Tracy has always dreamed of becoming a big star, if and when you attend this musical, make sure you have a front row seat, if you don’t you will want to be sure to bring your opera glasses, so as not to miss a moment of this fast-paced play.
Tracy hears on the television that The Corny Collins Show is having a dance contest and she excitedly wants to enter the contest. Her overweight mother frowns at the idea. (You may have heard actor John Travolta played this part in the movie Hairspray.) Tracy’s mother is just trying to protect her dear daughter out of love as she does not want people to make her daughter a joke for being overweight. Plus, her mother thinks the show plays racist music.
Finally Tracy makes it to the big dance audition, thanks to the permission of her father, Wilbur. As she is auditioning she meets a popular boy named Link Larkin. At this point you will want to make sure you use your opera glasses, as you will want to catch the expression on Tracy’s face, you will see her face light up, maybe in the same way yours did in high school. Our hero begins to daydream that she and Link will end up together. At this point in the musical, she sings a wonderful song about her dream. But as you knew would happen, her dream is shattered when she finds that she did not make the cut on the show, for the same reason that her mother suspected, her weight.
Poor Tracy then returns back to school. Her troubles do not end at school. Tracy is then given a detention once again due to her hair being so big that kids sitting behind her cannot even see the chalk board! Hence, you can tell a reason why the musical is given the name Hairspray.
While Tracy is in detention, she meets a nice black boy named Seaweed who is kind enough to teach Tracy some dance steps and hot moves. There is a dance party scheduled for the school and the owner of the Corny Collins Show, Corny Collins himself, sees Tracy’s slick moves. He loves how she dances and lo and behold she is chosen to be a dancer on his popular show. This moment will be the perfect time to put on your opera glasses as of course Tracy is ecstatic as this is her big dream!
Again after all this Tracy finds more good news, Link Larkin, the love of her life is to sing a romantic song to her on the show! Amber, who is another girl that attends Tracy’s school is also in love with Link, finds out, and decides to take her rage out on on Tracy, cruelty ensues, including knocking Tracy out with a volleyball.
More things ensue. Tracy and others are invited to Seaweed’s mother’s record shop. A party is planned for all to attend. The group goes to Seaweed’s mother’s record shop as blacks cannot go to The Corny Collins Show since blacks are only allowed on the show once a month on a specific day; that day being Negro Day. Tracy gets into fighting for blacks rights. For these intense acts you will want to wear your opera glasses.
Hairspray is a delight to attend, and a bigger delight to hear, it is no wonder it made such a run on Broadway, Remember to bring your opera glasses to catch every last expression, and the wonderful costumes. This is truly a performance to cherish.
