Above are my capture of the Al Hirschfeld Theatre marquee for the new Broadway revival of the musical HAIR which opened last night. Playbill.com reports a burst of box office activity the day after last night's opening. The mostly glowing reviews fueled "upwards" of $500,000 in ticket sales today.
"With a score including such enduring musical numbers as 'Let the Sun Shine In,' 'Aquarius,' 'Hair' and 'Good Morning Starshine,' Hair depicts the birth of a cultural movement in the 60's and 70's that changed America forever: the musical follows a group of hopeful, free-spirited young people who advocate a lifestyle of pacifism and free-love in a society riddled with intolerance and brutality during the Vietnam War," according to Broadway production notes. "As they explore sexual identity, challenge racism, experiment with drugs and burn draft cards, the 'tribe' in Hair creates an irresistible message of hope, peace and change that continues to resonate with audiences 40 years later."
Here are some of the reviews;
Variety - “The enhanced production now at the Al Hirschfeld is sharper, fuller and even more emotionally charged. Director Diane Paulus and her prodigiously talented cast connect with the material in ways that cut right to the 1967 rock musical’s heart, generating tremendous energy that radiates to the rafters."
New York Times - “But what distinguishes “Hair” from other recent shows about being young is the illusion it sustains of rawness and immediacy, an un-self-conscious sense of the most self-conscious chapter in a person’s life.”
Post - “I have zero nostalgia for the 1960s, but I love this “Hair.”
“
Boston Globe - “But it has not, to put it mildly, aged well. What may once have seemed winningly ingenuous and gently rebellious now feels unbearably naive and unforgivably glib. The antiwar sentiments of the show are still painfully relevant but uselessly one-dimensional, and beyond that there’s … what? Drug jokes, sex jokes, squares-vs.-hippie jokes, and a lot of other stuff that must have sounded a little corny even the first time around.”
1 comment:
Hair is the only show that I've ever seen that felt like an experience. The cast aka The Tribe is excellent, the production is fantastic and the songs sound better then ever. The shows themes (Sex, War, Drugs, Race) are as relevant today as they were forty years ago. The best part is the bond that the Tribe forms with the audience. It resonates with everyone long after they've left the theater. I urge all theatergoers to order tickets, participate in the show and dance in the finale. You will never forget the Hair experience.
Post a Comment