Stagelight Productions
In Association With Studio Theatre of California
Proudly Presents

Theatre on San Pedro Square - Closed on August 4, 2007

The Historic Hoover Theatre - August 9 to August 24, 2007

Directed by Jon Rosen

About Hair

Before Jesus Christ Superstar, before Tommy, and long before Rent, there was Hair, the original rock musical. In honor of the 40th anniversary of Hair's premiere at New York's Public Theatre, Hair returns to San Jose this summer in what will surely be a celebrated event.

The year is 1967. America is in its fourth year of involvement in Vietnam (which would ultimately become 12). Hippies espouse the use of psychedelic drugs and free love; yippies are protesting in the street. President Lyndon Baines Johnson ignores the loud insistent voices and continues to escalate the war. The draft looms over the heads of all 18-year old boys.

Music, both rock and folk, personified by such bands and performers as The Grateful Dead, The Doors, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, The Jefferson Airplane, Joan Baez and others, is now a major force in the country. Conservatives long for a return to "the good old days" but knowledgable people can see that indeed "the times, they are a'changin'".

Two young out-of-work actors, Gerome Ragni and James Rado, emerged with the story of a modern-day odyssey of youth, a story that was waiting to be heard by the people. Teaming up with an early alternative music composer, Galt MacDermot, they brought the world the first real rock musical, Hair.

With a strong anti-war, pro-love message, Hair reverberated throughout the nation. Although it was shunned by the mainstream newspaper critics at first, it was loved by the people. Virtually an instantaneous hit, it was featured in Time, Newsweek and Life magazines and applauded by a few of the traditional reviewers, including the New York Times' Clive Barnes. Within a year, there were multiple Hair productions across the country and the world.

Hair's music took the country with stunning force. Songs like "Aquarius", "Good Morning Starshine", "Easy To Be Hard", "Where Do I Go?", and "Black Boys/White Boys" were covered by a number of pop and rock artists, including The Fifth Dimension, the Cowsills and Three Dog Night. Eight of its songs hit the Billboard charts and four went all the way to number one.

Hair was definitely immersed in controversy. Its nude scene (modest by today's standards), stunned Broadway, but it turned out to be a trailblazing event and within a year, many other shows were following the same path in the name of artistic freedom.

Some of its satirical moments, particularly the song "Don't Put It Down" which lampooned obsequious devotion to the flag without exercising critical thought, made people angry. However, those who understood realized that the song was not making fun of the country, but rather people who would give up their own freedom in the name of freedom.

Looking back, 2007 bears a strong resemblance to 1967: America is once again embroiled in a war that many believe should not have been fought, a President is estranged from the voices of the people, and youth is once again rising up to demand acknowledgement and freedom. Music is, as it always has been, a strong influence on our times.

Stagelight Productions, in association with Studio Theatre of California, is proud to present Hair for the Silicon Valley audience, at Theatre on San Pedro Square and the Historic Hoover Theater.

If there was ever another time for Hair, it is now.

Let the Sun Shine In Again!