“You can’t stop my happiness, ‘cuz I like the way I am”, says Tracy Edna Turnblad of ‘Hairspray LIVE’!

The heroine of the iconic musical is an embodiment of self-love, inclusivity and courage and has much to teach.

“You can’t stop my happiness, ‘cuz I like the way I am. And if you don’t like the way I look, then I just don’t give a damn!” These words by the inimitable Tracy Edna Turnblad in the celebrated musical ‘Hairspray LIVE!’ convey the spirited defiance of youth in a regiment world. The musical is now available in India courtesy Zee Theatre and is being aired on Airtel Spotlight and Dish and D2h Rangmanch. The uplifting story is packed with multiple life lessons that remind us to recognise the humanity of others, never give up on our dreams and work towards a more inclusive world.

The musical is more than just a star-studded entertainer and its story is its real strength despite the presence of luminaries like Ariana Grande, Jennifer Hudson, Harvey Fierstein, and Martin Short. This is perhaps why when ‘Hairspray LIVE!’ was first aired in 2016, it became an instant hit and garnered over nine million viewers and seven Emmy Award nominations, of which it won three.

Here are some of the most enduring lessons from ‘Hairspray LIVE!’ that continue to ring true till date.

Dream fearlessly – On the surface Tracy’s (played by Maddie Baillio) life is very ordinary. She lives in 1962’s Baltimore with her agoraphobic mother, Edna (Harvey Fierstein in a surprising cameo) and her biggest ambition is to be a dancing star on her favourite program, ‘The Corny Collins Show’. She is not the ‘right’ body type and her home life is full of conflict but she holds on to her dream and manages to win a role on the show. This gives her the confidence to inspire her town and its residents with her optimism. With her new found success, she also addresses Baltimore’s fault lines like racial and economic inequality, discrimination, homelessness, bigotry, and discrimination. And shows other misfits how to chase their goals against all odds.

Never let bullies’ win – Tracy’s inner strength comes from not giving the bullies an inch of her mind space. She continues to dream about becoming a dancer on a popular teen dance show despite being bullied and targeted at school for her weight, her quirky clothes and her unusual hair. She realises very quickly that there is great power in standing up for yourself and for others and befriends black classmates who like her want to be dancing stars but are also discriminated against. They can only dance in segregated spaces and once Tracy becomes successful; she decides to desegregate The Corny Collins Show to make it more inclusive.

Look beyond the surface – Tracy never labels other people or judges them by their skin colour, what they look like or where they come from. She also does not just go for good looks when it comes to matters of the heart. Even though she is initially smitten by the dreamboat Link Larkin (played by Garrett Clayton), it is his fair and just character that eventually wins her over. He joins Tracy to visit the black part of Baltimore to attend Maybelle “Motormouth” Stubbs’ (played by Jennifer Hudson) record party and is by her side when The Corny Collins Show is integrated for the first time.

Love and accept yourself as you are – With her unconditional self-love, Tracy is a shining example of empowerment for all but especially for teen girls who constantly feel pressured to look perfect and spiral into negative thought patterns. Tracy is a champion of body positivity and prefers to call herself “pleasantly plump” rather than trying to conform to toxic beauty standards. As an unconventional main protagonist, she shows that every human being deserves to be in the spotlight and to be valued. As she says memorably, “People who are different, their time is coming!”

Directed by Kenny Leon, the musical stars Jennifer Hudson, Ariana Grande, Harvey Fierstein, Kristin Chenoweth, Dove Cameron, Derek Hough and Martin Short. The musical is currently being aired on Airtel Spotlight and Dish and D2h Rangmanch.

Keerti Kadam.