LIMELIGHT, the amateur group who are never shy at taking on major shows, is putting on Hairspray at The Alhambra Theatre, in Dunfermline.

The show goes on this week at the Alhambra and runs until Saturday.

Limelight Productions are set to perform the region’s first full scale production of Hairspray, featuring a racially diverse cast covering all the roles.

Hairspray tells the story of pleasantly plump teen, Tracy Turnblad, who sets out to follow her dancing dreams , integrate ‘The Corney Collins Show’ and win the love of her life. After all, “why can’t everyday be Negro Day?” Limelight Productions, now in their 9th show stopping year, will present the plus sized hit musical at the Alhambra Theatre in Dunfermline between 17th-21st February.

This is the first time the show has been released to adult theatre companies, having previously been restricted to Youth Theatre programmes only. However, Hairspray is an archetypal challenge to cast, featuring both white and non-white ensembles and principals, but Limelight have succeeded in securing both their desired castings and will present a production that stays very true to its famous narrative.

And if racial casting wasn’t challenging enough – the story also features renowned personality, Edna Turnblad - a male actor portraying a maternal, feminine woman.

The role, previously played by John Travolta and Michael Ball, is a tough casting call for any professional company, but even harder in the amateur world. Have Limelight Productions managed this hurdle too? They sure have.

Famously labelled “the musical with everything”, this ultimate feel-good show has played to sold out houses in London, on Broadway and across numerous theatres around the globe. Limelight’s 2015 production is set to be one of their biggest, most extravagant shows to date. With big hair, big heart, this is an even bigger hit!

So, let Limelight ‘welcome you to the 60’s’, while you ‘run and tell that’ and show us whether ‘you really can stop the beat’...

Hairspray is a 2007 American musical romantic comedy film based on the 2002 Broadway musical of the same name, which in turn was based on John Waters’ 1988 comedy film of the same name. Set in 1962 Baltimore, Maryland, the film follows the “pleasantly plump” teenager Tracy Turnblad as she pursues stardom as a dancer on a local TV show and rallies against racial segregation.

One of the dancers on the show takes a leave of absence and auditions for a replacement are held. After reluctantly receiving permission from her parents, Tracy attends, but is rejected by Velma for being overweight and for supporting integration (“The Legend of Miss Baltimore Crabs”).

Tracy sneaks out of the house to join the protest (“I Know Where I’ve Been”). The protest, which Edna has joined at this point, is halted by a police roadblock. In an attempt to get an officer’s attention, Tracy hits him on the head with a protest signs and the protesters engage in a brawl. While Tracy escapes to the Pingletons’ home and hides in a fallout shelter, Penny’s mother catches Tracy and calls the police before tying Penny to her bed for disobeying her.

Seaweed and his friends help Tracy and Penny escape. While rescuing Penny, Seaweed and her share their first kiss. Link visits Tracy’s house to look for her and decides to stay at her house after Edna offers him to eat. While he is in Tracy’s room, he realises he loves her. Both pairs acknowledge their love (“Without Love”).

With the pageant underway (“It’s Hairspray”), Velma places police officers around WYZT to stop Tracy from entering. She also switches the pageant tallies to guarantee that Amber wins. Penny arrives at the pageant with Edna incognito. Wilbur, who is disguised as Tracy, fools the security guards so Tracy can infiltrate the studio. During the confusion with Wilbur, Seaweed and the other Negro Day kids lock the guards outside.

The security guards use the hairspray battering ram to enter; not knowing that Tracy was inside, (“Can’t Stop the Beat”).......