It’s 1962 in Baltimore, Maryland, and quirky, plus-sized, teenage Tracy Turnblad has one dream: to dance on "The Corny Collins Show". When she gets put in detention with the African-American students in the school, they teach her some of their dance moves, and her newfound groove wins her a spot on Corny’s show.

Overnight, Tracy transforms from a nobody into a star and uses her newfound influence to advocate for racial integration on the television show. Tracy faces scrutiny and bullying from the network producer, Velma, and her popular, but vicious, daughter, Amber. With the help of the teenage heartthrob Link, host Corny Collins, and Motormouth Maybelle, Tracy overcomes the odds and succeeds in her mission to integrate "The Corny Collins Show". 

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The bright, energetic story of Tracy Turnblad teaches us all to look past the color of one’s skin and fight for every human being’s equal rights.