Pearl is a student at Patterson Park High School in Hairspray's Baltimore. She is also a dancer on The Corny Collins Show during their monthly "Negro Day" special.
Aside from Seaweed and Motormouth Maybelle, Pearl appears in more versions of Hairspray than any other named black character. In some versions, most notably West End productions and the 2016 NBC live special, Pearl is one of The Dynamites, a trio of talented rhythm and blues singers.
Pearl is first seen in a yellow dress dancing with Seaweed in detention. She is friendly with Tracy, but standoffish with Link at her randomly ran up to her during detention and tried to dance with her.
Pearl participates in a number of songs, including "Run and Tell That," "I Know Where I've Been," and "You Can't Stop the Beat."