▁W aters . ▁ ▁Princi pal ▁phot ography ▁took ▁place ▁in ▁and ▁around ▁the ▁Baltimore ▁area ▁during ▁the ▁summer ▁of ▁ 1 9 8 7 . ▁The ▁school ▁scenes ▁were ▁fil med ▁at ▁Perry ▁Hall ▁High ▁School ▁with ▁set ▁locations ▁including ▁the ▁library , ▁a ▁first - floor ▁English ▁class , ▁and ▁the ▁principal ' s ▁office . ▁In ▁the ▁scene ▁set ▁in ▁the ▁principal ' s ▁office , ▁the ▁Harry ▁Dor sey ▁G ough ▁( see ▁Perry ▁Hall ▁M ansion ) ▁coat - of - ar ms ▁that ▁once ▁hung ▁in ▁the ▁main ▁lo bb y ▁can ▁be ▁seen ▁through ▁the ▁door way . ▁The ▁scenes ▁set ▁at ▁T ilt ed ▁Ac res ▁am usement ▁park ▁were ▁fil med ▁at ▁Dor ney ▁Park ▁in ▁All ent own , ▁Pennsylvania . ▁ ▁According ▁to ▁Deb bie ▁Harry , ▁W aters ▁wanted ▁her ▁to ▁perform ▁music ▁for ▁the ▁film ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁act ▁in ▁it , ▁but ▁the ▁record ▁label ▁she ▁was ▁signed ▁to ▁object ed . ▁ ▁H air sp ray ▁was ▁Div ine ' s ▁final ▁film ▁to ▁be ▁released ▁in ▁his ▁lifetime ; ▁he ▁died ▁on ▁March ▁ 7 , ▁ 1 9 8 8 , ▁three ▁weeks ▁after ▁the ▁film ' s ▁premi ere ▁and ▁nine ▁days ▁after ▁the ▁film ' s ▁release . ▁H air sp ray ▁was ▁his ▁only ▁film ▁with ▁W aters ▁in ▁which ▁he ▁didn ' t ▁play ▁the ▁lead . ▁ ▁Origin ally , ▁Div ine ▁was ▁considered ▁to ▁play ▁both ▁T racy ▁Turn bl