Beads, Flowers, Freedom, Happiness: An Aquarian Exposition Into 50 Years of HAIR

"We starve, look, at one another
Short of breath.
Walking proudly in our winter coats
Wearing smells from laboratories
Facing a dying nation
Of moving paper fantasy
Listening for the new-told lies
With supreme visions of lonely tunes."

For fifty years, an ode to beads, flowers, freedom, and happiness has endured as the emotional centerpiece of the world's first rock musical, "Hair". Pleading and proud, tribes the world over have gathered at the foot of countless stages at the show's conclusion. Harnessing their energy, they march to preserve the life of one of their own while imploring audiences to reject a culture of injustice and violence, and embrace the warmth of universal harmony.

The song is, "Let the Sun Shine In" and though it came to prominence on the musical stage, over time the moving finale has wholly transcended the theatre. Taking its place as an anthem for tumultuous times, the song has become a symbol of unity within counterculture movements. On Saturday, January 21st, the day I was scheduled to visit LaMaMa ETC to the celebrate the 50th anniversary of the musical, the power of the people was thriving.

Lining thoroughfares of every major city in this nation, as well as dozens of cities abroad, women, children, and men alike lined the streets. Crossing lines of gender, race, class, religion, and sexuality, the largest mass protest in U.S. history commenced.

Armed with signs, pink knit hats (endowed with a nickname I likely cannot publish here), and consciousness raising flyers, buttons, and bumper stickers for every cause imaginable, we marched. Sharing space, disseminating information, heralding the virtues of love and unity, demanding equal rights for every citizen, and sending a universal message to a much reviled and feared administration.

Entering the anniversary celebration that day, cloaked in all of the positive vibes my body could absorb, the relevance of celebrating this particular show on this particular day was not lost on me, nor anyone else in attendance.

Including appearances from notable former tribe members, Ben Vereen, Andre de Shields, Melba Moore, and Annie Golden, as well as representatives from various other incarnations of the show, the afternoon provided an in-depth look at this landmark musical. Using archival footage, audio, photos, and personal testimony from the show's creators and cast, the afternoon wove a complete tapestry of its creation, development, and international success.

As creator, Jim Rado, explored the history of the show, he pointed frequently to cosmic interference as being responsible for much of its existence. From the chance meeting of its creators, (an experimental theatre freak and a Richard Rodgers wannabe) to unquestioned input from the official production astrologer, the fate of "Hair" seemed to have been predestined on some celestial calendar. As indicated through sun signs and astrological charts, there were, from a psychedelic perspective, no coincidences in the formation of this piece. Former cast member, Ben Vereen, chimed in with Rado, confirming, "The universe had something to say and it found you."

And say something it did, exploring the show's history, the presentation illuminated how "Hair" was not just a dramatic embodiment of the 1960's counterculture, but an authentic affront to the establishment in and of itself. Casting kids they met on the street and in bars, culling choreography from organic movement, harnessing the energy and irreverence of rock n' roll, and challenging norms through Eastern practice, drugs, literature, and sexuality, "Hair" was a tremendous risk for any producer or theatre owner that touched it.

Both The Shuberts and Nederlanders passed on it before it found a home with, David Cogan, owner of the Biltmore Theater (now the Samuel J. Friedman). Cogan's daughter, Carol, recalled that her father had his attorney in attendance on opening night to handle any backlash they might endure as a result.

During its initial run and subsequent tours, there was much evidence of the cultural threat posed by "Hair". Production members recalled protesters at a number of tour stops and sitting productions. A 1970 incident in Boston saw groups demanding cuts to the show, prompting producer Michael Butler to shut down the production for six weeks. For better or worse, the presentation illuminated how "Hair" has never been the happy hippie sing-a-long it's perceived as, but a gravely serious political statement with real world ramifications.

Rock n' roll has always been a tool of youthful rebellion, infinite in its potential to rouse the idle and liberate the disenfranchised. Understanding this power, the creators along with composer, Galt MacDermot, were the first to bring rock music to the stage. Reaching people and places traditional musical theatre could not, "Hair" helped a generation find their place in the theatre. Delivering classics like, "Aquarius", "I Got Life", and "Good Morning, Starshine." that day, we were reminded that the score of "Hair" stands as a testament to the power of rock n' roll both as an artform and institution of radical change.

Most evident that afternoon, however, was the not just the show's checkered history but its cultural immediacy. Listening to the aging voices of former tribe members addressing issues like race and gender through the show's score provided some much needed modern perspective. These were not millennials in hippie garb merely inhabiting the world of the show, but real artists and radicals responsible for many of the movements heralded by protesters uptown. Still asking the same questions and begging for a more just world, fifty years down the line. If we learned nothing else that day, it was that the pace of change is not just slow, but agonizing.

The power of "Hair" is a phenomena that has been well-documented over time. The reverberations of its artistic and political revolution within the theatre are boundless. Its energy, ideals, and innovation have seeped into the very DNA of our community, serving as a constant reminder of the potential of art as an agent for social change.

Whether carrying on its tradition of multicultural casting through "Hamilton" or marching a Broadway Strong banner down 5th Avenue, the positive vibrations of "Hair" are all around us and in us. Proof positive that we can and should stand for something greater. A timeless beacon which inspires us to embolden our causes, fortify our convictions, strengthen our bonds, and let the sun shine in wherever darkness lurks.