Character Breakdown
Tracy Turnblad: Female, Caucasian, to play high school age. Must be heavyset. Outgoing, unstoppable, goodhearted with a vibrant, lovable, spirited personality. Loves to dance. Becomes a teen heroine. Strong pop belt singer and great mover.
Edna Turnblad: Male to play female, Caucasian, 30s - 50s. Tracy's mother. A working class, devoted, loving housewife with dreams of her own. Sincere, not campy. Needs a funny, grand character actor with singing ability who can convincingly play a woman. Large physique. Comedian.
Wilbur Turnblad: Male, Caucasian, 30s - 50s. Tracy's father. A working class inventor. Sweet, goofy, childlike personality. Adores his family. Funny character actor. Good character singer.
Link Larkin: Male, Caucasian, to play high school age. Handsome, sexy, clean-cut, goodhearted, down-to-earth. The heartthrob of the local TV teen dance show. Amber's boyfriend at first, but he soon falls for Tracy. Strong pop singer and great mover.
Seaweed J. Stubbs: Male, African-American, to play high school age. Cool, sexy, street smart, goodhearted. Son of Motormouth Maybelle who becomes Penny's boyfriend. His dance lessons help Tracy get chosen for the local TV teen dance show. Strong, soulful tenor pop singer and great mover.
Amber Von Tussle: Female, Caucasian, to play high school age. The ice princess of the local TV teen dance show. Attractive snob. Very funny, with good physique. Strong pop belt singer and great mover.
Penny Pingleton: Female, Caucasian, to play high school age. Ditzy, neurotic, devoted best friend of Tracy. Very funny, with good physique. Strong pop belt singer and mover.
Corny Collins: Male, Caucasian, 20s-30s. Host of the local TV teen dance show. Handsome, charming, engaging, smooth. Strong pop singer.
Motormouth Maybelle: Female, African-American, 30s - 50s. Seaweed and Little Inez's mother. Queen of Baltimore Soul, a radio DJ. Powerful and inspiring, with an infectious, brassy personality. Large physique. Strong, soulful gospel/pop singer.
Velma Von Tussle: Female, Caucasian, late 30s - 50s. A former beauty queen, Amber's mother, and producer of the local TV teen dance show. Upscale, attractive, prejudiced snob who always wants her daughter in the spotlight. Funny, biting, manipulative. Good character singer.
Little Inez: Female, African-American. Seeking actress to play early teens. Spunky, tough, streetwise, outgoing, older than her years. Seaweed's lovable little sister. Strong Broadway/pop singer and mover.
Male Authority Figure: Male, Caucasian, 40s - 50s. One actor plays various zany roles including a nervous businessman; a condescending high school principal; a flamboyant fashion boutique owner; a cop; and a corrupt prison guard. (Think Saturday Night Live.) Must be sharp, funny, inventive character actor with good singing voice.
Female Authority Figure: Female, Caucasian, 40s - 50s. One actress plays various zany roles including Prudy Pingleton, Penny's uptight and small-minded mother; a sadistic high school gym teacher; a cop; and a sardonic prison matron. (Think Saturday Night Live.) Must be a sharp, funny, inventive character actress with strong singing voice.
The Dynamites: 3 sexy African-American female singer/dancers inspired by the Supremes. Should have glorious pop/gospel singing voices. Should move well. They are featured in the showstopper "Welcome to the '60s."
Ensemble dancers who sing and singers who dance: Male and female dancers with strong pop singing voices and great personalities, to play high schoolers, to play various roles in the ensemble.
