So what if banner applets crash your computer and you have to spend all day restoring the system so you can use it again. So what if nesting pigeons discover your favorite patio tree and your best friend forgets to invite you to the party. Whether you were there or came later you can escape for the evening back to 1960s Viet Nam War protest. Sing along on a Wednesday afternoon in New York some time during the Age of Aquarius. Party's on with jokes and pranks matching the Tribe's San Francisco counterparts, the Merry Pranksters. A real treat, the eager cast sings and dances energetically in Central Park. Claude, from Manchester England, England, born in Flushing, New York, is drafted to go to Viet Nam. Burning his driver's license instead of his draft card, Claude complies despite his companions' antiwar sentiments and fear for his safety. The men follow Claude's example and enlist, leaving behind grieving women - some of them pregnant - to get by without them.
HAIR's Act 2 takes us to Viet Nam, showing scenes of war halfway around the world from Central Park. Vietnamese villagers are Viet Cong sympathizers. Arriving in country, roll is called and the men write home to their families. A minute-long strobe-lit battle scene is neatly done and won't make you dizzy watching it. Back home in New York, lively saffron-robed Krishna monks with tambourines share space with Roman Catholic nuns with rosaries. Antiwar protest gets louder and louder as the war overseas intensifies. The Tribe shuts down the FBI and the Pentagon while their men face constant enemy fire in Viet Nam.
HAIR doesn't give all the lines to one or two lead characters, but instead distributes action evenly among available talent. That's how it should be. No walk-ons or bit parts. Everybody joins in. Not an ad hoc committee, but an enthusiastic team whose singing and dancing is recording-quality as are musicians backing them and audience members joining them. You know you're in Central Park protesting Viet Nam War, plotting to overthrow the capitalist government that continues this unwanted war in which patriotic Americans die needlessly for others to enrich themselves mining Viet Nam's raw materials. After all, France got out of Viet Nam, why can't we?
Director Ross Hamilton sweated the draft lottery when HAIR opened on Broadway. In the 1980s Hamilton directed HAIR's 20th anniversary Broadway production with a million-dollar budget. Artistic director Ross Nelson asked Hamilton to do the show here with a much smaller budget. The show didn't look, sound or act low budget. HAIR sold out almost every night. Instead of running the usual 4 weeks, HAIR ran 8 weeks. City Lights Theater always has good shows. Go there and tell them I sent you!
Book by Gerome Ragai and James Rado, music by Galt McDermot
One of Shakespeare's most often performed plays, allowing for a large academic cast. I still believe lines should be shared throughtout the play, not just given to one or two lead characters. Equity Actress Donna Mendoza, theater teacher, producer and director, played Amien, whose purpose in the story was to sing. After warming up for 30 minutes she sings 3 songs perfectly, opening her mouth wide to let the song out. The whole cast did really well. Jacques resembled Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) in Pirates of the caribbean. Donna is one of my 2 favorite still current directors to work with and see.