Malgré son physique passablement arrondi, la jeune Tracy n'a qu'une idée en tête : danser dans la célèbre émission de Corny Collins. Par chance, Link Larkin, l'un des meilleurs danseurs de l'émission, assiste à une de ses performances au lycée et lui propose de venir à une soirée dansante organisée par Corny Collins. Tracy, grâce à sa performance à la soirée, est intégrée dans l'équipe. Elle devient instantanément une star, s'attirant du même coup la jalousie d'Amber, la fille de la directrice de la chaîne, qui régnait jusqu'ici sur le show. Lorsque Tracy participe à une manifestation afin que les Noirs puissent danser dans l'émission de Corny Collins, être acceptés et traités comme les Blancs, rien ne va plus... Désormais en cavale, ses chances d'affronter Amber au cours de la finale et de remporter le titre de " Miss Hairspray " semblent bien compromises…

Original Broadway production
After a tryout at Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre, Hairspray opened on Broadway at the Neil Simon Theatre on August 15, 2002. The production was directed by Jack O'Brien and choreographed by Jerry Mitchell, with set design by David Rockwell, costume design by William Ivey Long, lighting design by Kenneth Posner, sound design by Steve C. Kennedy, and the many distinctive wigs in the show by Paul Huntley. The original Broadway cast included Marissa Jaret Winokur and Harvey Fierstein in the lead roles of Tracy and Edna respectively. The cast also featured Matthew Morrison as Link, Laura Bell Bundy as Amber, Kerry Butler as Penny, Linda Hart as Velma, Mary Bond Davis as Motormouth Maybelle, Corey Reynolds as Seaweed, Jackie Hoffman as Female Authority Figure and Dick Latessa as Wilbur. The Dynamites were played by Kamilah Marshall, Shayna Steele and Judine Richard.

Hairspray received Tony Award nominations in 12 categories, winning eight, including for best musical, book, score and direction. Winokur, Fierstein and Latessa received awards for their performances. The production ran for more than six years, closing on January 4, 2009 after 2,642 performances. Fierstein and Winokur returned to the cast for the final performances.

Original London production
The West End production opened at the Shaftesbury Theatre on October 11, 2007 for previews before its official opening on October 30. Michael Ball played Edna, with Mel Smith as Wilbur Turnblad, newcomer Leanne Jones as Tracy, Tracie Bennett as Velma, Paul Manuel as Corny Collins, Rachael Wooding as Amber, Elinor Collett as Penny, and Ben James-Ellis as Link. The original creative team of the Broadway production, with director Jack O'Brien and choreographer Jerry Mitchell, reunited for the London production. The show garnered a record-setting eleven Olivier Award nominations and won for Best New Musical, as well as acting awards for Best Actress and Actor in a musical (Jones and Ball). The production closed on March 28, 2010 after a run of nearly two-and-a-half years and over 1,000 performances.

Original Australian production
An Australian production of Hairspray opened in Melbourne at the Princess Theatre on October 2, 2010 to critical acclaim. It was directed by David Atkins and choreographed by So You Think You Can Dance Australia judge Jason Coleman.[16] The show moved to Sydney from June 23, 2011. The cast includes Jaz Flowers as Tracy, Trevor Ashley as Edna, Jack Chambers as Link, and Tevin Campbell reprising his role from the Broadway production as Seaweed J. Stubbs. Atkins redesigned the production using new technologies. The set uses enormous LED screens, which move around the stage in various combinations, as the characters interact with animated landscapes generated across the screens. The musical opened at Sydney's Lyric Theatre at The Star Casino on 11 June 2011 and closed on 9 October 2011, ending its Australian run.

Act I
"The Nicest Kids in Town" – Corny and Council Members
"Mama, I’m a Big Girl Now" – Edna, Tracy, Prudy, Penny, Velma, Amber, and Female Ensemble
"Good Morning Baltimore" – Tracy and Ensemble
"I Can Hear the Bells" – Tracy and Ensemble
"(The Legend of) Miss Baltimore Crabs" – Velma and Council Members with Tracy, Penny, and Little Inez
"The Madison"† – Corny and Company
"The Nicest Kids in Town (Reprise)"† – Corny and Council Members
"It Takes Two" – Link, Tracy, and Male Ensemble
"Velma’s Revenge"† – Velma
"Welcome to the 60’s" – Tracy, Edna, The Dynamites, and Ensemble
"Run and Tell That!" – Seaweed, Little Inez, and Detention Kids
"Big, Blonde, and Beautiful" – Motormouth, Little Inez, Tracy, Edna, Wilbur, and Company

Act II
"The Big Dollhouse" – Matron, Edna, Velma, Tracy, Amber, Penny, Motormouth, and Female Ensemble
"Good Morning Baltimore (Reprise)" – Tracy
"(You’re) Timeless to Me" – Edna and Wilbur
"(You're) Timeless to Me (Reprise)" - Edna and Wilbur
"Without Love" – Tracy, Link, Penny, Seaweed, and Ensemble
"I Know Where I’ve Been" – Motormouth and Ensemble
"(It’s) Hairspray" – Corny and Council Members
"Cooties" – Amber and Council Members
"You Can’t Stop the Beat" – Tracy, Link, Penny, Seaweed, Edna, Wilbur, Motormouth, Velma, Amber, and Ensemble

†Not on the cast recording.

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