Penny Pingleton

Penny Pingleton is a character in the movie Hairspray, its 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, racist and somewhat psychotic. 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 was played by Leslie Ann Powers in The 1988 movie.

Penny was 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. Diana DeGarmo played the role from 2006-2007, and Alexa Vega is currently playing the role. Penny 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 the fact that Powers, Butler, and Bynes did not wear glasses when played the part.