Hair

Hair The Musical

Hair the Musical premiered off Broadway in 1967. It was directed by Gerald Freeman.

With the popularity of songs from the musical Hair, it is a shame how many people still haven't seen it. As a matter of fact, I only saw Hair the Musical last year, and I have always been a big fan of the 60s. I didn't realize quite how many songs I had already heard from the Hair musical. There were at least three or four that I heard played on the radio, and a couple more that a few friends of mine had put on mixes. They were just so catchy that it is a wonder everyone doesn't know them.

When I saw Hair the Musical, I expected it to be sort of dated and silly. In some ways it was. The 1960s had a sort of naïve idealism that was reflected in the attitudes of a lot of the characters. Nonetheless, the message of Hair the Musical was surprisingly relevant even today. The hippies were fun-loving, freewheeling kids who were a little bit reckless but completely well-intentioned. It was the war – an unjust war being fought overseas – that caused tragedy in the end. Looking around us nowadays and thinking about what our country is up to, it is easy to see why it could be a powerful piece for modern audiences as it was for people in the 60s.

If you have a chance to see Hair the Musical live, I highly recommend it. The movie is very good, and I don't have anything bad to say about it. It is well produced, the actors are all top-notch, and it is true to the script. Nonetheless, there is something about seeing a musical done on stage that really transcends cinema. The sound is more vibrant and dynamic, and the enthusiasm of the actors is contagious. When I saw Hair the Broadway Musical, I ended up leaving this theater singing. I could not get any of the songs out of my head for a week afterwards. I've never been as excited about a movie as I was about seeing that musical live.

Still, in some ways Hair the Musical is best appreciated over drinks with friends, maybe curled up on the couch. You want to be able to enjoy the drama of it, but at the same time you want the option of laughing at the sillier parts. If you are planning on having a movie night, I highly recommend renting it from a local video store. It is pretty popular, so it should not be hard to find.