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Aug 29, 2008

Just Add Aqua Net

Brook Pulver from Hairspray gives CW a backstage pass

How long have you starred as Tracy Turnblad in Hairspray? I've been doing the show since June 2006. I will have done the tour for two years when I finally make it to Shanghai. Can you tell us how it all started and you how joined the Hairspray cast? Well, I initially auditioned in 2003, and had a lot of call backs but it wasn't until 2006 when I finally got cast for the tour. Tracy Turnblad is described as a "big girl," did you always have a full figure or is it something you had to develop for the show? I have been a plus-sized girl since my early teens. My high school experience was good and I was not really self-conscious about my weight until I went to college. Has your weight influenced how you've portrayed Tracy's character? I think Tracy is more confident than most girls who are considered "big girls." That is why I look up to Tracy as a hero. Really? Do you share other experiences with Tracy? I do, but Tracy doesn't give up as easily as I have in the past. It wasn't until I was in my mid-twenties that I gained as much confidence as Tracy has in this show. When you slip into moments of low self-esteem, what do you do? There are plenty of times that I look in the mirror and wish that I saw something else. But ultimately, I know that I am a good person. I know I can achieve just about anything I want and that by being positive, people will want to be around me. Your character's foil is Amber, the cool girl, the pretty girl. She poses a lot of problems for Tracy, to say the least. Have you ever met an "Amber" in real life? I think Amber is a representation of everything in life that tells you that you can't do something. I've had plenty of people tell me I couldn't do something. I'm grateful for those people, because they've made me stronger. If you could name the top three ways for a "big girl" to gain confidence, what would they be? Love yourself, love others and treat other people as you would like to be treated. Hairspray debuts in July. Any ideas about what Shanghai will be like? I hope it will be full of fun and excitement. I'm already doing research on places I'd like to visit. Sometimes I don't have a lot of time for sightseeing, but I can hope!