ACT ONE
After another typical day in 1960's Baltimore, Tracy Turnblad and her
friend Penny Pingleton run home to catch the latest edition of the
Corny Collins Show on television. Many of the local high school kids
are in the show, including heartthrob Link Larkin, and it's Tracy's
dream to join them. She sees her chance when the show holds
open auditions to replace one of the girls. Not wanting
to see her
daughter's dreams shattered, her mother Edna forbids her to attend
but eventually relents.
Backstage at the Corny Collins show, producer Velma Von Tussle
is ensuring her daughter Amber is taking the spotlight with her
boyfriend, Link. She's also making sure the show keeps an all-white
cast, except for one day a month - Negro Day hosted by DJ
Motormouth Maybelle.
Tracy turns up at the audition but is laughed
at by Amber.
In detention for having big hair, Tracy meets Seaweed, one of the
Negro Day dancers. He teaches her some dance moves which she
uses at the school dance hosted by Corny Collins. He spots her and
much to Velma's disgust,
gives her a role on the show. She's soon
one of the most popular kids on the show, and even manages to
persuade her mother to leave the house after more than ten years.
Velma is even more astounded when in interview Tracy states that
every day should be Negro Day
.
