Hair

From LoveToKnow Music

Every generation has something - a song, a movie, a book - by which they are defined. Hair, the James Rado stage musical, is as much a part of 60s culture as Woodstock and Haight -Ashbury. The show exemplifies the political activism of the generation, and along the way, it managed to challenge and change the accepted norms of Western culture.

History

James Rado and Gerome Ragni

The story and lyrics for Hair - subtitled The American Tribal Rock/Love Musical - were penned by the writing team of James Rado and Gerome Ragni, with Galt MacDermot composing the music. The premiere performance of the show took place in the off-Broadway venue, The Public Theater, on October 17, 1967. Subsequent performances moved to the Cheetah for a short run, before settling into the Biltmore Theater - an on-Broadway venue - for a run of 1,873 shows.

The show also had a run in the Aquarius Theater in Los Angeles, and a long run in the Shaftsbury Theater in London, where it debuted September 27, 1968. Only structural problems with the London venue caused the show to be closed years later, after 1,998 performances.

Controversy

Hair pushed the envelope for 1960s theater. The subject matter for the show dealt with the contentious issues such as the Vietnam War, the draft system, and the newly emerging drug culture. Perhaps most shocking to audiences at the time was the nudity included in the play. Charges were brought against the cast for obscenity and desecration of the US flag - a case that was ultimately decided in favor of the musical by the US Supreme Court.

In Mexico, a performance of Hair was shut down by the government, and the cast was faced with a choice between deportation and arrest.

In Europe, the show forced a debate about, and an end to, government censorship of the arts. These cultural shifts brought about through debate over Hair marked the beginning of a general liberalization of the norms of both US and European society.

The Movie

Hair was made into film in 1979, directed by Milos Forman. Beverly D’Angelo and Treat Williams had starring roles. The movie release was coupled with a highly successful soundtrack.

Revival

Over the years, several attempts have been made to revive Hair, with varying success. The first such attempt was in Australia in 1992, where updated songs made the show a hit. London tried to revive the show in 1993, but the show was panned by critics. In 2001, in Vienna, Austria, the show was given a complete overhaul and had a successful run.

In 2003, show creator James Rado gave the thumbs up to a new version of Hair, which set the drama in the 2003 Iraq War, instead of the Vietnam War. Rado has since withdrawn his support of this version of the production, finding to be untrue to the spirit of the musical.

The Story

Hair focuses on the story of “The Tribe” - or the so-called “Hippies of the Age of Aquarius.” The three main characters of Claude, Berger, and Sheila are members of the Tribe. Claude has been drafted into the Vietnam War, and he, Berger, and Sheila, fight against his drafting. Claude eventually decides to turn his back on the lifestyle of the Tribe and goes off to fight in Vietnam.

The film version of the story ends with Berger taking Claude’s place in the Army and subsequently being killed in Vietnam.

Hair Trivia

Several future stars played roles in Hair over the years:

Dianne Keaton
Tim Curry
Elaine Paige
Donna Summers
Alex Harvey
Meatloaf
John Waters

The Music

Probably the best known song from Hair is “Aquarius/Let the Sun Shine In,” but the music from the whole production is well known and loved. No less than 32 soundtrack recordings from various casts in many different countries have been released. The original Broadway cast won a Grammy in 1968.

The songs changed from location to location, but the list, from the Broadway show, included all of the major numbers:

ACT ONE