Penny Pingleton

Penny Pingleton is a character in the movie Hairspray, it's musical and remake. Penny is Tracy Turnblad's best friend and sidekick. She is shy, mousy, timid and dorky and loves to chew gum. She, unlike Tracy, is skinny and can't dance. Her mother, Prudy Pingleton, is in fact a prude, rascist and somewhat physcotic. Penny defies her mother when she falls in love with Seaweed J. Stubbs a black man.

In the play Penny actually sings very little but the actress needs an impressive voice for her. She sings no solos but has small solos in most of her songs. She sings in (Mama) I'm a Big Girl Now, The Big Dollhouse, Without Love and You Can't Stop the Beat.

Penny is played by Leslie Ann Powers in The 1988 movie.

Penny is played by Kerry Butler in the original Broadway cast and Amanda Bynes in the movie based on the musical. Due to combination the vocal range, looks and fun quirkiness demanded to play her she is often played by celebrities on Broadway including Diana Degarmo and Alexa Vega. She is a fan favorite due to her funny personality, the actresses playing her and her romance with Seaweed. Penny is often portrayed on Broadway wearing glasses despite that neither Powers, Butler or Bynes wore glasses when they played her.