HairPresented By: Alesa McGregor

The Musical1967/68- On the Stage 1979- On the Screen

The Musical1967/68- On the Stage 1979- On the Screen

• Book & lyrics: James Rado and Gerome Ragni

• Music: Galt MacDermot• Premiere: Shakespeare

Public Theatre in 1967 (NYC)• Broadway Premiere:

April 29, 1968-July 1, 1972 • Multiple Tony nominations

(2009 win- musical revival)

• Director: Milos Forman• Choreography: Twyla Tharp• Primary Film Locations:

Central Park & Washington Square Park

• Golden Globe Nominations• Generally positive reviews

Historical ContextVietnam War

Historical Context1967/68- On the Stage 1979- On the Screen

• Vietnam War: 1954-1975• 1967: Loving v. Virginia,

Summer of Love, Human Be-In • 1968: assassination of Martin

Luther King, Jr (4.4) & Robert Kennedy (6.6)

• 1968: Paris student riots (May)• 1969: Greenwich Village’s

Stonewall Riots

• 1972: Watergate Scandal

• 1972-73: End of the U.S.

Military Draft

• 1974: Nixon resignation

Adaptation

• Much more “far out” including a space alien as Claude

• Scenic Design: Ming Cho Lee

• Many negative reviews

Original (pre-Broadway) version

Adaptation

• Addition of 13 songs• Claude as human• Positive reviews & a

four-year run• International tours• Introduction of nudity• Audience “Be-In”

Broadway Version

Adaptation

• The Tribe– Claude (leader)– Sheila (NYU student-

activist)– Berger (free-spirit)

• Draft-dodging• Free-love, nudity as

protest• Unseen death of Claude

Broadway Version

Adaptation

• Elimination of 11 songs• Change in character

background: Claude & Sheila

• Alternate ending• Nudity: swimming, joking• More specific, linear

plot-structure

Film Version

Performance as Protest:

Stage• Non-linear plot• Evolving, improvisation-

based script• Multi-point staging focus• Abstract Setting• Involvement of the

audience (Be-In)• Addressing current events

Screen

Stage vs. Screen

• So HOW are these methods incorporated on the screen?– Realistic setting (the script is

“opened up”)– Change in primary character– Recreation of a time in history– Religious allusion– Be-In?

Let the Sun Shine In!

Video Clips

• 1969: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxSGikrhrnI

• 1969 (1:30 secs): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGx7IBn7HCM

• 2009 revival: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPLg5gA-9ck