By Jackie Demaline
The Cincinnati Enquirer

What could be more amiable than a musical with a high moral message - we can all dance together, black and white and fat and skinny - played with boundless energy and giddy political incorrectness?

That's Hairspray, this year's multiple Tony Award-winning best musical that's calling the Aronoff home for two weeks.

Lightweight doesn't begin to describe the plot, which is about hefty teen Tracy Turnblad (Carly Jibson) who, in 1962 Baltimore, has the impossible dream of dancing on the local American Bandstand-style teen dance show and getting the guy and (gasp!) wishing "Negro Day" could be every day instead of once a month on the "Corny Collins Show" because that's when the best dancing is.

Dreams can come true! And I'll bet you can guess who gets to be Miss Hairspray, too, instead of that nasty blonde prom queen type who can't dance!

Cincinnati is an early stop in the Hairspray national tour, so I'm guessing that's why all its very terrific parts haven't quite meshed into something magical. (Which is not to say it isn't a really good time. I just suspect it will, like fine Ripple, age into something marvelous in a couple more months.)

Jibson is a bundle of energy and she's surrounded by well-played wacky characters including (but not limited to): her dumb-as-a-stump best friend Penny (the hilarious Sandra Denise); the villainess of the piece (and one-time "Miss Baltimore Crabs" - wink, wink) Velma Von Tussle, which Susan Cella plays right to the edge; and Charlotte Crossley as Motormouth Maybelle, ever-rhyming and gospel-belting, who has a pair of big numbers, one for each act.

Tracy busily changes everybody's lives, including mom Edna's. Bruce Vilanch takes the drag role of a zaftig woman who's given up on her dreams (and even all thought of leaving the apartment) until Tracy's pursuit of her own dreams sets the right example.

Vilanch is solid, but that indefinable spark that defines a star performance didn't ignite in Edna's big duet with frumpy hubbie Wilbur (the engaging Todd Susman) until the timely insertion of Cincinnati one-liners, which sent Tuesday's opening night audience into screams of appreciative laughter.

Hairspray is fun and rambunctious but the best thing about it is its great big heart, which couldn't even be contained by Edna's size 54 triple E foundation garment.

Hairspray, through Dec. 14, Aronoff Center, Fifth Third bank Broadway in Cincinnati, 241-7469.