Photo Credit: Michael Hardy and Donny Jackson
Review: American Tribal Rock Musical HAIR is Still Relevant After 50 Years
by Shari Barret
Broadway World Los Angeles
October 30, 2019
HAIR was written more than 50 years ago by Gerome Ragni, James Rado and Galt MacDermot and broke new ground in musical theatre by defining the genre of "rock Musical" as well as using a racially integrated cast and inviting the audience onstage to join in the "Be-In" finale. But at the time it opened off Broadway at the end of 1967, it seemed unlikely that HAIR would be relevant five decades later.
A product of the hippie counter-culture, sexual revolution, and Vietnam War protests of the late 1960s, several of its songs became anthems of the anti-war movement, while its profanity, depiction of the use of illegal drugs, treatment of open sexuality, irreverence for the American flag, and full-frontal nude scene caused much comment and controversy at the time. Yet today it seems what was shocking has become so common place that even a few children were in the audience at the performance I attended.
Those who saw the original production certainly can see how the rock musical's topics are still relevant, especially politically, with the conflicts between conservatives and progressives still in the news daily, with the 60s fashion still trendsetting now. The songs remain infectiously energetic and the coming-of-age story has lost none of its sparkle and relevance, ready to bring its message of peace and love to a new generation.
Director Rovin Jay said he drew inspiration for the show from Harry Belafonte's words when he introduced the original Broadway cast of HAIR at the 1969 Tony Awards. Contrasting the upcoming walk on the moon with the rock musical, Belafonte said "Scientists deal in logic and I have the faith that they will get some of us to the Moon. But there is more than logic in theatre. The theatre deals with passion and emotion. We live in emotional times. Artists are emotional people. So, listen to them, friends."
The "summer of love" experience begins when you first walk up the Long Beach Playhouse stairs and cast members greet you as if they met you nearby and invited to join them to celebrate life together. It was fun to jump into the story that way, listening to them talking together about their own lives as a way for us to know them before the stage show even began.
Musical director Stephen Olear, who dressed for the occasion as did the entire band, rocked the house from start to finish as there is hardly a moment during which music is not performed. Choreographer Sonya L. Randall certainly worked closely with the dancers to bring forth the joy and optimism of the show's music which will no doubt live forever in the hearts of anyone who has performed or seen HAIR anywhere at any time.
There are so many great songs to talk about that ring true today in subject matter, especially with the desire to be accepted and loved for being exactly who you are. However, unfortunately there is not a song list in the program, so I cannot correctly credit the cast members who performed them. But I can talk about a few standout performers who performed them. But I can talk about a few standout performers whose energy and enthusiasm highlighted the entire performance.
High school dropout Berger is embodied heart and soul by the charismatic Jacob Rachuy Stephenson, who boldly flaunts his half-naked body and full glorious head of hair throughout the show. He is a joy to watch and drool over, just as all the women (and several of the men) in the show do so well. Gregory Bystritski plays Claude as the simple everyday guy that he is from a middle-class Polish family who can't seem to find his way in life and winds up getting drafted and shipped off to Vietnam. The anger his friends feel about his absence at a protest rally, and his own shock at the reality of war fuel the heartfelt inspiration for all to stand up and chant "Make Love Not War" and other 60s appropriate protest signs.
Costumer Christina Bayer made it easy to identify Jules Ronquillo as Woof, as she included a stuffed animal around his waist to accentuate his animalistic nature. Big and beautiful Lorne as Hud and David Ponce as Margaret Mead each commanded the stage with their presence. Among the standout women in the cast are Shannon Wynne as the very pregnant Jeanie, Latonya Kitchen as Dionne, Celia Ruskin as Chrissy, and belter extraordinaire Justyn High as Sheila.
Always a HAIR favorite of mine is the racially-charged "White Boys" and "Black Boys" song combination during which the women of both praise the glorious attributes of the men of the other. All of the women named above really know how to sell a song with the best of them, and it was a joy watching them put the men through their paces during this celebration of love and sex. And of course, the show's most popular songs "Aquarius," "Manchester England," "I believe in Love" and "Easy to be Hard" both performed by perfection by Justyn High, "Good Morning Starshine," and the show's title song will continue to be part of our musical lexicon.
Yes, there is full frontal nudity, men in drag, drug use, free sexuality, spiritual exploration and religious questioning, but I can only hope those seeing this production will walk out of the theater singing the songs and realizing it is up to us to make the world the type of place it ought to be for all people. Equal and free to be exactly who we are.
Theater Review: Hair at the Long Beach Playhouse
by Brett Ashley Hawkins, Culture Writer
Signal Tribune
October 21, 2019
The ensemble-driven controversial hit from 1967 does not lose its potency when brought 52 years into the future— Hair still maintains excellent shape in the time-travel process under the direction of Rovin Jay. Long Beach Playhouse’s upstairs Studio Theater is an apt host for the display of psychedelic love, togetherness and every color possibly imaginable.
The roots of Hair are centered on a self-proclaimed tribe of activist hippies who call themselves the children of the Age of Aquarius. The members of the tribe all explore their coming of age in a time of love, war, sex and drugs with mixed returns. When draft summons are bestowed upon several of the tribe’s members, the microscope zooms in on the decision to be made: stay the course as a rebel and resist the draft, or conform and serve in the Vietnam War as a hypocrite.
A surplus of world building starts off the show. It is chock full of character introductions and back stories rivaling Game of Thrones or any 2000s ensemble romantic comedy (think Love Actually). If one can keep up with the first half of the first act, they will be able to keep key players Berger (Jacob Rachuy Stephenson),Woof (Jules Ronquillo), Hud (Lorne), Claude (Gregory Bystritski), and Sheila (Justyn High) noted as distinct individuals with storylines despite the tribe-centric mind of the show and its staging.
As far as the show’s merits are concerned, Hair’s primary strengths are in its songs. With half a century under its belt, most theater-goers would be remiss if they did not recognize heavily referenced classics such as “Hair,” “Easy to Be Hard,” and “Good Morning Starshine.” Vocal strengths of the cast vary from gentle to powerhouse and the diversity lends even more ethos to the “be who you are” manifesto of Hair. Latonya Kitchen’s Dionne serves almost as a vocal lighthouse for the rest of her cast; her talent is impossible not to notice.
Several bright spots in Hair come from its diverse and multifaceted ensemble. Highlight performances include Stephenson’s Berger, who champions carefree camp with seemingly minimal effort; High’s Sheila is introspective and measures her performance out evenly with purity of spirit; and Bystritski’s Claude shines at his most luminous during his scenes of indecision and internal conflict. Most importantly, the three play off one another with ease, as if they have been friends for years.
Hair is not necessarily for every palate, inclusive as it is— it features many 1960s tropes that might be unsettling towards conservative minds such as illegal drug use, mild disrespect to the American flag, fluid sexuality and a first act finale featuring full frontal nudity by the majority of the cast. Even so, it is accurate and true to the time in which it is based and its heart and soul is evident. And above all, the message it has to share with the world is positive: love.
THE SHOWBUZZ: Playhouse Takes On Iconic Hippy Anthem "Hair"
THE SHOWBUZZ: Playhouse Takes On Iconic Hippy Anthem "Hair"
THE SHOWBUZZ: Playhouse Takes On Iconic Hippy Anthem "Hair"
by Sean McMullen, Theater Critic
The Grunion
November 1, 2019
1967 — the beginning of what I know as the world. There was of course a ‘before,’ but I just remember the fire in the eyes of so many young people who saw something previous generations hadn’t.
What had set the blaze? Lies. So many lies. Or, were they traditions? Or both? Out of this inferno rose the phoenix of resistance. Some was violent, some peaceful, but all of it was passionate and truly, deeply felt. Then, it seemed, as the 1970s begat the ’80s those with the fire in their bellies forgot the flames. They seemed to have been extinguished by the cool torrent of upward mobility.
In that moment, in 1967, there was passion. A passion that blazed across the stage in New York’s Central Park on Joe Papp’s Public Theatre Stage. “Hair,” the first rock musical, was raw, uncensored, and real. I have been told by people who worked on the original production that even they didn’t know what it was they were working on.
They couldn’t make heads or tails of the piece. It was revolutionary in so many ways. From the organic and improvised direction style to nudity in a legitimate theatrical piece, it broke ground.This month at The Long Beach Playhouse the "tribe" is reborn in the bodies and hearts of Millienials, Gen X and Gen Z. The blaze is now a torch carried by those who face the same lies, but not all of the traditions. The draft is no longer the imminent threat displayed in the line, "the draft is white people sending black people to make war on the yellow people to defend the land they stole from the red people.” Yet, it still has a ring of truth.
Which is how the piece seems to function now. It doesn’t baffle the audience, they aren’t coming to ogle at the weirdos — they are the weirdos. This Gen Xer was surrounded on all sides by boomers, some in tie-dyed shirts, cheering and interacting with the cast in a willful act of time travel.The cast is truly talented and full of energy and ernest hope. They fill this now historic piece, that could seem hermetically sealed, with all the vigor they possess. Strong voices all, sometimes pushed a bit far, lends to the visceral experience.
It is interesting to see folks whose lives have been a little more free and a little more honest inhabit the vestiges of those who opened the doors to that way of life. These are folks who, I dare say, may never have lived life to the Hippie extreme, but have had access to all the trappings and maybe managed them a little better.
Usually, I laud the standouts, but here the Tribe has made that impossible for me. Thanks to the solid and obviously inspirational direction by Rovin Jay, they have become one. The tribe and all its constituent members are delightful.
This show's music is all over the map and though it was the first rock opera, spawning the genre, it is difficult to sing. While the cast is not always perfect in their musical execution, they never fail to deliver emotional content.
It is this sincerity that leads me to lament that not all the long hair was real, and not only not real, some were not very good wigs. In a world full of drag queens who have brought the lace front wig even to Party City, when your musicals title is “Hair,” you better deliver the goods.
I am however grateful that through the efforts of the cast in their cohesion with great leadership by Sonya L. Randall (choreography) and Stephan Olear (music director), they reminded me that resistance does lead to change even if the fire burns slowly.
Theater Review: 'Hair'
THE SHOWBUZZ: Playhouse Takes On Iconic Hippy Anthem "Hair"
THE SHOWBUZZ: Playhouse Takes On Iconic Hippy Anthem "Hair"
by Ben Miles
Beachcomber
November 7, 2019
“Hair” became among the most controversial stage productions of the 20th century. Referred to as a rock musical—with a book by Gerome Ragni and James Rado, and with music by Galt McDermot—“Hair” premiered at Joseph Papp’s Public Theater in October of 1967. In 1968, it ran on Broadway for 1,750 performances. Created at the height of the American debacle in Vietnam, many of the show’s songs, such as “Easy to Be Hard” and “Good Morning Starshine,” have become pop standards that still evoke those tumultuous times of war and of resistance-to-war.
Now, fifty-two years after its New York debut “Hair” is on the boards at the Long Beach Playhouse’s Studio Theatre, through November 16. Directed by Rovin Jay, the challenge of organizing the theatrical chaos of “Hair” is mostly met by Jay and his choreographing colleague, Sonya L. Randall.
Though the large cast of 17 players is enthusiastic and devoted to the story, as is the live seven piece orchestra (Stephen Olear serves as Hair’s music director), it’s too often difficult for them to overcome the faulty sound system designed by Adrienne van Dalen. Nevertheless, several performers manage to transcend the acoustic difficulties and glow under the “starshine” of the show’s score.
Among the “Hair” actors that standout in this staging are Latonya Kitchen as Dionne ((who delivers a rousing rendition of “Aquarius”); Jacob Rachuy Stephenson as Berger (who brings a smile to us in the audience with his performance of “Donna”); Jules Ronquillo as Woof (and his dicey interpretation of “Sodomy”); and the Gregory Bystritsky as the callow Claude (and his perplexing showcase song “Where Do I Go?”); and Justyn High as Sheila (she a gives a heartrending voice to “Easy to Be Hard”).
“Hair” is the tale of the so-called tribe a posse of sorts accurately described as sixties hippies rebelling against the military draft and the war in Vietnam. Originally set in New York City, this production cleverly makes reference to local map-marks, such as Belmont Shore, Pacific Coast Highway and Long Beach Boulevard. While altering the geography of the action, the themes of “Hair” remain in place and relevant, including the culture-shifting sexual revolution, political protests and dysphemism against the U.S. President.
Other cast members earning honorable mention are the singularly monikered Lorne as Hud; David Ponce as Mother; Corey Patterson as Tomlin; Celia Ruskin as Chrissy; and Mikey Israel as Venus.
“Hair” is an audience involving show that sometimes pulls theatergoers onstage to cavort. Traditionally, and the Long Beach show is no exception, spectators are encouraged to dance and sing the finale number “Aquarius.” It’s an event that is bonding, memorable and a energizing way to end the show.