Hairspray vs. Grease: Which is the More Compelling Teenage Story?
One of my major grievances with teenage representation in mainstream entertainment is the limited thematic diversity of the stories being told. Predominant themes such as mental health, drugs or underage drinking, and sexual experimentation or romance can easily grow tired in teenage media. While I believe there is much more to the teenage experience that remains tragically unwritten, I do not suggest we abandon the important stories being told surrounding these themes. In fact, I have seen several shows that handle these topics with great authenticity and appeal. And the common strand through all of them is this key trait: the characters and situations are bigger than, and provide more context to, these themes.
To illustrate what this does and does not look like, I am going to compare and contrast two wildly successful musicals that have permeated the mainstream media. They both revolve around teenage leads and budding romance. Both of these musicals have enjoyed a substantial life on both the stage and screen, and their songs and stories are classic staples of the American musical theater.
To begin, I would like to look at the hit 1978 movie, Grease. Starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John as the star-crossed lovers (both of whom were in their mid-to-late 20’s when they played their roles), this musical’s longevity can be attributed to its endlessly catchy soundtrack and the nostalgia of its 1950s setting. On closer examination, however, its story is less than ideal. The exposition-oriented opening number, “Summer Nights”, introduces us to our two young lovers– the good-girl Sandy, and bad-boy greaser Danny. (As a side note, it is interesting to note that many teen romance stories have a similar match-up). The two fell in love over summer vacation, and now they have both arrived back at the same school. We soon learn more about Sandy’s standards in the comedic number, “Look at Me, I’m Sandra Dee”, in which Rizzo pokes fun at her friend’s prudish nature, with lyrics such as: “Look at me, I’m Sandra Dee/ Lousy with virginity/ Won’t go to bed ’till I’m legally wed/ I can’t, I’m Sandra Dee”. In contrast, Danny’s desires are made clear in the most famous car-repair song in the history of theater, “Greased Lightnin’”. He sings, “With a four-speed on the floor/ They’ll be waiting at the door/ You know without a doubt/ I’ll be really makin’ out in Greased Lightnin’”. In addition, much has been made of a rather disturbing line in the opening number, where one of Danny’s friends asks if “she put up a fight” over the summer. Later, in one of the more suggestive scenes, their two differing priorities are made clear when Danny makes significant, unsolicited advances at the drive-in movie. When Sandy reprimands him and stalks off, he responds by pleading, “I thought I meant something to you.” Clearly, these are two very different people with two very different sets of boundaries. However, in the end, love conquers all… just not in the way most people would encourage. In the final scene, both characters change in order to make themselves into the right partner for their lover. Danny’s small concession is donning a letterman jacket in place of his usual leather. Sandy’s shocking transformation, however, takes her from “Doris Day” to sex-goddess, complete with a skin-tight, black leather outfit and provocative dance moves to boot. And then… happily ever after, I guess. And all I was able to think at the end was, she completely reinvented herself for a guy she’ll probably break up with in a month or two? I mean, if she had to change that much to fit him, they’re clearly walking on relational egg-shells. If the show had a more judgmental tone in the way it approached this ending, I might feel differently about it. But, as it is, it feels like they are condoning a complete abandon of all foundational morals for the “one you love”. Personally, I don’t think this is the greatest message to be etching into the minds of those who are or will soon begin to pursue a romantic life, no matter how old they are.
In contrast, the musical that I think wonderfully handles the trope of teen romance is the Broadway hit, Hairspray. Though most every teenage character is beautifully complex in this show, I’m going to focus on the lead, Tracy Turnblad. One of the key moments that makes her instantly endearing is her big opening number, “Good Morning, Baltimore”. In a fun, upbeat, and optimistic way, the song sets up her big dream… to become a dancer on the Corny Collins Show. The audience also begins to see inklings of what her initial challenge will be: namely, her body type. So, from the very beginning, Tracy is set up as an optimistic, lovable underdog with big dreams… that do not have to do with finding the man of her dreams. Of course, this is not far to follow. In the third number, “Mama, I’m a Big Girl Now”, she and two other girls express their frustration with their protective mothers, as well as their dreams of romance. Lyrics such as, “Once upon a time I used to dress up Ken/ But now that I’m a woman, I like bigger men/ and I don’t need a Barbie doll to show me how/ ’cause Mama, I’m a big girl now” make it clear that these girls, including Tracy, are very eager for a romantic life, but this sub-goal does not overwhelm the show or the character. As the production goes on, we see Tracy fight to not only help herself obtain her dream, but also fight alongside the Black community for racial equality and integration on the Corny Collins Show. And though her romance remains significant to the plot, it never overpowers the show or takes priority. Instead, it adds and enhances the character in an entertaining and honest way. For example, in the song “Without Love”, Tracy’s boyfriend, Link Larkin, sings, “Tracy, I’m in love with you / No matter what you weigh” in a moment of sweet acceptance and unconditional affection. For this reason, Tracy Turnblad’s teen romance works beautifully within the context of the show because there is so much more to her than just a love-sick girl; she is a strong woman who fights for inclusion and equality in all of the arenas of her life, to (spoiler alert) great success!
While both shows deal with the common stereotype of budding romance in the lives of the teen characters, Hairspray wins the day as the more compelling story, in my opinion. More context is provided to Tracy Turnblad’s dreams, unlike Danny and Sandy’s. While Tracy’s romance is only one element of a much larger dream to promote integration and equality on the Corny Collins Show, Danny and Sandy’s characters are completely wrapped up in their romantic interests. It is also worth noting that the romance between Tracy and Link is founded upon sturdier ground. They are willing to accept and love each other exactly as they are, which is part of what makes their relationship so sweet and endearing. Meanwhile, Sandy and Danny aren’t able to make their relationship work until Sandy completely changes herself to fit his idea of what a girlfriend should be. If more shows centering teenage characters took Hairspray‘s cue and provided more context to common themes, highly original teenage characters and stories would be brought into a conversation that has remained tunnel-visioned for too long.
If you haven’t seen Hairspray, you should definitely check it out! Along with an incredibly fun soundtrack, the story is sweet, endearing, and joyful: a perfect choice for a family movie night with themes of love, acceptance, and equality! And if you want a catchy earworm score, Grease is definitely worth a listen.
Originally published March 30, 2021