It's only right that the zaftig musical "Hairspray" is having a queen-sized run at the Benedum Center.

The 2003 Tony Award winner for best musical is Pittsburgh CLO's penultimate offering, two weeks' worth of heavy issues and light comedy. It's a well-built production that on opening night had the audience staying put for curtain call, no easy feat in Pittsburgh.

Based on John Waters' cult classic film about a full-sized girl who dreams of racial equality -- and performing on the local hit teen dance show -- "Hairspray" is set in 1962 Baltimore. The girls dress in candy colors, the boys are well-dressed and have bright smiles. But the book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan reflects Mr. Waters' sensibilities, so there are sly asides and wicked little jokes around every shiny corner.

At the heart of the story is Tracy Turnblad, who races home each afternoon to watch "The Corny Collins Show," where (mostly) white kids show off dance moves to the latest rock 'n' roll songs. Tracy is hardly petite, but she does have style and a bouffant hairstyle so teased it regularly earns her dress code violations at school. Spending time in detention with the "colored" kids, she learns a dance move that lands her a spot on Corny's show and wins the attention of heartthrob Link Larkin, much to the disgust of the reigning star, Amber.

Then there is Edna, Tracy's mother. Taking a cue from the original movie, the role is always played by a man -- Harvey Fierstein won the Tony on Broadway, John Travolta starred in the 2007 movie musical. Edna is shy, sensitive about her considerable girth, but much-loved by husband Wilbur. Comedian Paul Vogt is up to the task, parading his well-padded self around the stage and punctuating dialogue with the occasional baritone note.

Edna and Wilbur (Jim J. Bullock) have a lovely second-act duet that dissolves into what might or might not be ad-libbed one-liners of a risque nature, and the audience appeared to love it. The biggest hand, however, went to Kecia Lewis-Evans, playing African-American DJ Motormouth Maybelle. She got things going with "Big, Blonde and Beautiful," and later belted the soulful "I Know Where I've Been" to great applause.

"Hairspray" is a plea for equality: social and racial. It knows it's a fantasy but makes its points with a laugh. At the same time, it is not one for political correctness; be prepared for fat jokes, race jokes, sex jokes.... Amber, spreading rumors about Tracy making out with some guys in a car, discovers Tracy has been moved to special education class. This, she says, makes Tracy both "fast and slow."

Director Barry Ivan, who also choreographed, has a sure-footed cast featuring a bubbly Katrina Rose Dideriksen as Tracy; Michael Kadin Craig as Link; Ashley Spencer as Amber; Luba Mason as Amber's mother, Velma; Madeleine Doherty in a trio of showy roles, including a prison matron; and former boy band singer Drew Lachey as Corny Collins.

Rashad Naylor is Seaweed, an African-American who becomes the "black white knight" in a mixed-race relationship with Tracy's best friend, Penny (Niki Scalera). Making her CLO debut is 16-year-old Erica Durham, a junior at Central Valley High School in Beaver County, who plays Seaweed's sister, Little Inez.

The music by Marc Shaiman, with Mr. Shaiman and Scott Wittman's lyrics, is positively infectious. In fact, try getting the closing number, "You Can't Stop the Beat," out of your head. But as it vibrantly underscores the musical's faith in the power of change, perhaps that was the point.

Looking for more from the Post-Gazette? Join PG+, our members-only web site. You'll get exclusive sports content, opinion, financial information, discounts from retailers and restaurants, and more. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details.