Show Synopsis:
Tracy Turnblad wants to be a famous entertainer, and watches The Corny Collins Show, a teenage variety show, every day after school. She goes to an open audition against her mother's wishes and gets mocked and rejected by the show's producer Velma for being overweight, but she meets heartthrob Link Larkin in the process. Back at school, she becomes friends with Seaweed Stubbs, whose mother Motormouth Maybelle hosts the Corny Collins Show's "Negro Day" once a month. Seaweed helps Tracy impress Corny Collins and get a spot on the show, and Tracy becomes a local star. Tracy's best friend Penny begins to fall in love with Seaweed, and he invites both of them and Link to a party at his mother's record shop, where everyone hatches a plan to protest the prejudiced standards of beauty on The Corny Collins Show. The protestors are arrested, and while most of the women are bailed out, Velma has rigged it so that Tracy remains in jail. Link breaks her out and declares his love for her. The protestors plan an even bigger protest to desegregate The Corny Collins Show forever at the Miss Teenage Hairspray compeition. They are successful at breaking down the barriers, and Tracy is crowned Miss Teenage Hairspray.
Character:
Tracy Turnblad, an idealistic and optimistic sixteen-year-old girl; she longs to be famous; is fiercely loyal to her friends and tries to see the good in people .
Song Context:
Tracy and Penny are at the studio for The Corny Collins Show because Tracy is convinced that this audition will launch her career. In her confusion to find out where she should go, she bumps into Link Larkin, who she has a huge crush on. Having dreamed of meeting Link for so long, Tracy begins to fantasize about their future romance and marriage.
Fun Facts:
1. This musical was based on the 1988 film of the same name.
2. Marissa Jaret Winokur originated the role of Tracy on Broadway and won a Tony Award, Theatre World, and Drama Desk Award for her performance.
3. In a 2002 Playbill interview, Winokur said that she felt like a role model for character actors and chubby girls playing Tracy, and called the musical "a total mix up. It's like you got the part pulled out of a hat ? 'Okay, I'm the leading lady; you're the wacky sidekick.' As much as I'm going to be a role model for young character actresses or chubby girls or for the person who doesn't really fit in, the show also opened up things for ingenues who look like ingenues, but are also comedians. Granted, my role is more different and more extraordinary ? there's never been a role like this ever on Broadway."
"I can hear the bells, well don't you hear 'em chime? Can't you feel my heart-beat keeping perfect time? And all because he
Touched me,
He looked at me and stared yes he
Bumped me,
My heart was unprepared when he
Tapped me,
And knocked me off my feet, one little touch now my life's complete 'cause when he
Nudged me,
Love put me in a fix yes it
Hit me,
Just like a ton of bricks, yes my heart burst now I know what life's about, one little touch and love's knocked me out
And
I can hear the bells,
My head is spinning.
I can hear the bells,
Something's beginning.
Everybody says that a girl who looks like me can't win his love well just wait and see 'cause
I can hear the bells,
Just hear them chiming,
I can hear the bells,
My temperature's climbing,
I can't contain my joy 'cause I've finally found the boy I've been missin'
LISTEN!
I can hear the bells.
Round 1,
He'll ask me on a date, and then
Round 2,
I'll primp but won't be late, because
Round 3's
When we kiss inside his car!
Won't go all the way but I'll go pretty far and
Round 4,
He'll ask me for my hand, and then
Round 5,
We'll book the wedding band, so by
Round 6,
Amber, much to your suprise, this heavy-weight champion takes the prize and
I can hear the bells,
My ears are ringing,
I can hear the bells,
The brides-maids are singing,
Everybody says that a guy who's such a gem, won't look my way well the laughs on them 'cause
I can hear the bells,
My father will smile,
I can hear the bells,
As he walks me down the aisle,
My mother starts to cry but I can't see 'cause Link and I are french kissin'
LISTEN!
I can hear the bells.
I can hear the bells,
My head is reeling,
I can hear the bells,
I can't stop the peeling,
Everybody warns that he won't like what he'll see but I know that he'll look inside of me, yeah.
I can hear the bells,
Today's just the start 'cause,
I can hear the bells and,
Till death do us part and,
Even when we die we'll look down from up above remembering the night that we two fell in love
We both will shed a tear and he'll whisper as we're reminiscin' ""LISTEN""
I can hear the bells,
I can hear the bells,
I can hear the bells."