Theater Review—

‘Hair’ Is In Keeping With Brookfield’s Tradition Of

Wonderful Musical Presentations

By Julie Stern

BROOKFIELD — Do you remember 1968? Were you there? Whether you were or weren’t, the iconic American tribal–love rock musical Hair  brings back the Dawning of the Age of Aquarius — that cultural explosion of hairy, beaded, rag-tag flower children asserting their rejection of the views and values of the mainstream American society that was sending young men overseas to fight and die in a war that had nothing to do with defending their country.

Over the past few years Brookfield Theatre for the Arts has presented some wonderful musicals under the direction and choreography of Michael Burnett, and this one is right in keeping with that tradition. The intimate nature of the small but comfortable venue lends itself to dancing in the aisles and mingling with the audience (I loved it when Berger, the leader of the hippie tribe,  cried “Mother!” and jumped in the lap of a woman sitting in the front row).

The 21 cast members fill the room with their presence, and the vigor and joy of their singing, oftentimes urging the onlookers to join in — which we did, with nostalgic enthusiasm. It was just about impossible to keep your hands or feet still.

Ironically, while the show was famous for introducing lots of nudity to the Broadway scene, this production didn’t get into that (apart from a strategically designed fringed leather loincloth). Instead it focuses on other theatrical features. To the extent that there is a plot, it involves the encounter between a young draftee, Claude, who is about to be inducted into the Army and sent to Viet Nam, and a tribe of hippies living in the park. Beyond that it is loose compendium of songs and dances  expressing the spirit of the generation that took as their slogan “Make Love, Not War,” and let their hair grow in protest against their uptight, prejudiced, conservative parents.

These folk are riotously portrayed by Matt Austin, both as Claude’s self righteous father and in drag as a slumming tourist named Margaret Mead, who is studying the flower children in their environment.

There are some wonderful individual performances, especially Nicholas Kuell (who played Joseph in last year’s summer production of Dreamcoat) as Claude, who must decide whether to burn his draft card with the others, or report for induction; Bennett Cognato as Berger, Deyon Rosado as Hud, Janina Reiner as Dionne, Kristin Hoose as Crissy, Kate McMorran as Jeanie, Lauren Brown as Sheila, and Robert Bassett as the androgynous Woof, but it is the overall ensemble effect that is truly powerful.

A lot has changed since this show sent shockwaves across America in 1968. Heavy metal music played by hairy dopers became a cash cow for the music industry — with, sadly, not enough of the melodic power that charges Galt MacDermot’s score.  Boundaries have been pushed so that frontal nudity has become almost de rigueur in movies as well as  live theater, and the language revolution has made the “free speech” of the Sixties almost quaintly innocent.

More significantly, the replacement of the draft with the all-volunteer army has taken the pressure off the younger generation, so that there is less reason for them to become concerned about current events, or to unite in trying to change things. Only those young people who chose to enlist will be sent to Iraq or Afghanistan, and they believe in the rightness of their cause. Flower power, if it exists, is merely a fashion statement, like beads and bell bottoms, along with piercings and tattoos.

Meanwhile it is the people over thirty — at least in the blue states — who remember the lessons of the Sixties, and who were singing along with vigor. Director Burnett has added voiceover mentions of Iraq, and IEDs, to add some continuity to update the story, but for the most part, Hair remains a thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining piece of nostalgia.

He and his cast have done a terrific job, and if you go, you should have a great time.

(Performances continue at The Brookfield Theatre for the Arts, Thursday through Saturday evenings, until July 28. A Sunday afternoon matinee is also scheduled for July 22.

See the Enjoy Calendar, in print and online, for curtain, ticket and other details.)