More than 40 years have passed since the first strains of the anthem-like "(Age of) Aquarius" rippled across the American stage, and Hair was born. Now the much-acclaimed 2009 revival comes to Milwaukee for a one-week stay. And what a lovely sight it is .
Blessed with a several members of the Broadway cast, the national tour fully captures the spirit -- and the message -- of this "tribal love-rock musical." Undoubtedly, some of the things that "shocked" audiences in the 1960s -- like nudity, sexual relations between races, the drug culture -- have faded into nostalgic reminiscences. But Hair still packs plenty of punch
Much of the credit goes to the energetic performers. They truly are convincing in their characters' quest for peace, love and harmony. As such, this musical is governed by the united members of the large cast, known as the "tribe." Working together, the cast must create a sort of "organic" ensemble. It is very fluid, taking various shapes as it seems to flow across the stage. Often, individuals move upstage to carry a song then blend back into the group.
Two exceptions to this rule are the maniacal, childish Berger, who quits high school to lead the tribe, and Claude, his best friend. Claude is less flamboyant than Berger, but he is much more insightful and spiritual. Intent on "finding himself," he amusingly tries to pass himself off as a Brit from Manchester, England. To Claude, this sounds far more "cool" than his true hometown: Flushing, NY.
One of the most telling aspects of Hair is its reliance on acronyms that now seem dusted off from a time capsule: SDS, DMZ, IRT, LSD, LBJ. Who but America's baby boomers would recognize them? And who among today's youth will realize that some of the song lyrics mimic phrases heard daily on TV newscasts during the Vietnam era -- such as the number of dead, wounded and captured Vietcong? Not that it matters. The message of Hair reverberates in each of the musical's many songs, including "Aquarius," "Let the Sun Shine In," "Hair," and "Good Morning, Sunshine."
London and Broadway cast members who are now part of the tour carry many of these songs to new heights. They include: Phyre Hawkins as Dionne ("Aquarius"), Caren Lyn Tacket as Sheila ("Easy to be Hard"), and Darius Nichols as Hud ("Colored Spade").
The two leads, Berger and Claude, are brought to life by Broadway stand-bys Steel Burkhardt and Paris Remillard (another actor replaced Burkhardt on opening night). They gave fine performances. Remillard, as Claude, was particularly impressive as he ended Act I with the heartfelt, "Where Do I Go?"
Opening night had its typical sound problems. At some junctures, the balance between the singers and the band was off. It wasn't a major obstacle to enjoying the performance, but they undoubtedly will be corrected for the run's other shows. Much can be said about Diane Paulus' innovative direction, Michael McDonald's fabulous, colorful costumes and Karole Armitage's energetic choreography. But the casting director's original idea -- to find actors who didn't look like typical Broadway actors -- was as brilliant as the direction, staging and costuming. The actors in Hair look like hippies plucked from the streets of 1960s America (OK, they probably aren't as smelly as unwashed hippies). In any case, they brought a bit of sunshine into a cold Wisconsin winter.
