Based on the subversively funny film by John Waters, Hairspray is a high-energy, sweet- natured return to the 1960s, a cheerful salute to teenage anxiety and grand passion, but driven by a strong, timely, and irresistible call to action for racial equality and inclusion. Set in Baltimore just at the dawn of the civil rights movement, the plot concerns plus-sized Tracy Turnblad, whose love of rock’n’roll dancing is only surpassed by her desire to fully integrate her school and her city. Other powerhouse roles include Tracy’s mother Edna (usually played by a large male actor), her devoted father Wilbur, her nerdy best friend Penny, cool black student Seaweed Stubbs, his even cooler disc jockey mother Motermouth Maybelle, teen heartthrob Link Larkin, popular mean girl Amber, her ambitious mother Velma, and TV dance show host Corny Collins. The original 1988 film and the 2007 musical movie are both good references, but the Live TV version starring Harvey Fierstein as Edna is the closest.