Hair Tour?

[karennnnn]

Posted: 11/19/10 at 6:14pm

So has anyone seen it?
Saw it last weekend and had a great time. It was my first time sitting in the front row and what a different experience!!!! Got lots of love from the hippies being that close up.
I think my only gripe is that I wish that there was a younger Sheila. Caren has an amazing voice and there's nothing inherently wrong with her performance, but she just doesn't seem to fit. It could be that I'm just used to SEEING someone different play the part, but I've heard the same sentiment from a lot of people.
It was nice to see Kacie Sheik, Darius Nichols, Katie Kiyan and some of the others who were part of the original tribe but I never got to see on Broadway. I saw the show in June and although I liked it, I knew it was lacking in a huge way with Kyle/Ace. They were both adorkable, but the strong voices that those two characters need just wasn't there.
Kennedy Center is kind of a stuffy crowd which made for some hilarity! I'd like to see it again, but unfortunately tickets for the next closest venue have been on sale for a while already and the show isn't till APRIL. Kind of peeved about that. It would be nice to be able to just buy tickets for shows whenever the opportunity presented itself, but it just doesn't work that way for most of us.
Thoughts!??!?!

[Pianolin717]

Posted: 11/19/10 at 6:28pm

I saw it. I loved it even more than when I saw it with the original revival cast (minus Sasha). I had Kate Rockwell as u/s for Sheila and after not hearing anything overwhelming about Caren, I'm pretty glad I saw Kate. She had a great voice.

Absolutely LOVED Paris and Steel. Loved loved loved loved LOVED them. And Katie Kiyan was a seriously great Chrissy. I really have no complaints with anyone I saw.

As far as the Kennedy Center crowd, hmm I think it does vary. I remember seeing Legally Blonde there 2 years ago and these two old ladies (who were probably subscribers) left after intermission and didn't enjoy themselves at all. However, when I saw Hair, the crowd loved it. Actually, the family behind me (who brought their kids who were about 10 years old) got very into it and used it basically as a teaching tool and encouraged their kids to get into. It was a very good crowd and no one stuffy at all.

But yeah... It was fantastic and I'm so glad I saw it again!

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 11/19/10 at 7:43pm

Pianolin, I was there last Friday night and saw Kate Rockwell as Sheila. It was also nice to see Corey Bradley (Ragtime revival alum) in the tribe that night. I got a great 10th row orchestra seat via Goldstar. I saw the Broadway production in March and although I didn't particularly care for the show, I thought I'd give it a second chance. I came away feeling the same thing. I just don't like the show, but like some of the songs. I was actually surprised at how full the Opera House was that night.

[lolabeanz]

Posted: 11/19/10 at 9:05pm

I saw it last Sunday at the Kennedy center after missing my Sat matinee due to traffic on GW parkway. It was nice of them to seat me the next day in basically the same seats. I thought they should have done it in the Eisenhower though, the Opera house was way too big and there were empty seats all around us and we were in the fifth row orchestra(we moved to front row for second act). I had seen the original revival cast (amazing) but this cast was overall pretty amazing too. Steel stole the show for me. I also thought Sheila seemed too old. Paris has an amazing voice but just didnt have the presence Gavin had. It could be where I was sitting but when I saw the show on Broadway it seemed more audience interaction. Also some people in the audience laughed when Claude comes out at the end. that kinda ruined the moment for me.

[thesixtyfirstpupil]

Posted: 11/20/10 at 1:10am

I saw it on Wednesday from Row M, and, no matter how much it pains me to say this, but this cast doesn't live up to their original counterparts. On Broadway it seemed much more authentic and the interactions with the audience weren't as painfully forced. The acting seemed very forced, but I must say that Steel makes a GREAT Berger. Also, Paris has the best Flesh Failures I've ever heard. Just the change in vocal technique alone from his earlier numbers to that made me cry. Still a great show, and I recommend it highly!
Updated On: 11/20/10 at 01:10 AM

[karennnnn]

Posted: 11/20/10 at 4:15pm

We were at the matinee last Saturday and a TON of people came in late. I'm glad we got there early. Phew!
We were in the front row and the two seats next to us (next to the aisle) were empty for a half hour or so.
Because of that, we had Jeannie and Hud sit next to us for a few minutes, high fives and what not. I tried looking around the theatre, especially during Hare Krishna, to see what other interaction happened but I didn't see much either. Guess it's not just me! Claude and Berger tended to hang out on the left side of the theatre and didn't come near us. They bugged this poor bearded man the entire time. And a man was Berger's mother. Oh, and the pants went to a man too. I was bummed.
I read that Kate Rockwell was going on for Sheila last night and I really wanted to go; I felt like I was missing something with an older Sheila!
Paris and Steel are great together and I'm glad that two of the originals made it to top billing.
On a very superficial note I think Paris' hair is too short!! He looked shockingly different when he comes out in the army uniform. I know that's the point, but we're talking superficial here. He looked very timely though.
I have heard people laugh when Claude comes out in uniform. I asked Josh Lamon about that at one point (on formspring) and he says it does happen often and he thinks it's a nervous laughter. I think it's people not "getting" it, but it may be a different reason each time.
At our performance, the lady behind me audibly gasped and was like "Oh my goodness!!!"
It does ruin it because ideally it should be as quiet as it is when Claude pulls his draft card away from the fire.
Although I liked Paris' Claude I felt like something was missing too, maybe a more boy-like quality. He seemed pretty mature.. Not sure how to pinpoint how I felt. But watching his face the whole time was really a wonderful thing. He was really feeling it and it was awesome.
Katie Kiyan was a great Crissy, but her Frank Mills was so different! It sounded almost country! I think though when you're used to listening to the cast album almost daily, you get thrown off when someone puts a new spin on things.
We took our daughter who's 5. She had seen it back in June with us and has loved it ever since they were on the Tony's. We've spent a LOT of time talking about the content of the show and preparing for it before actually seeing it. A friend of mine made her a Crissy replica shirt and I got a really cute picture of her and Katie.
At the stage door we talked to a few cast members and one of them urged my daughter to dress as Dionne next time. Heck yes!
There was a handful of other kids there; one who looked under 10 but not by much and a bunch of pre-teens.
I wonder how long the tour will last? I know when it ends, but what I mean is I'm curious if it will come back next year. Without the bulk of the original casting, I would worry about the show. I have a feeling this is a one time deal. Some of them have been going for several years so this might be it.
Looking forward to hopefully seeing it in Hershey which I'm sure is a smaller venue thank goodness.

[karennnnn]

Posted: 11/20/10 at 4:15pm

Sorry, double post! Updated On: 11/20/10 at 04:15 PM

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 11/20/10 at 4:33pm

I saw it last Saturday and really enjoyed it. Phyre Hawkins is a fantastic Dionne and Paris and Steel are just as wonderful as when I saw them understudy on Broadway. The cast as a whole is a mixed bag, with some feeling a little too clean-cut and cutesy to be hippies. But overall, I enjoyed myself quite a bit. It works just as well in a large space as it did in the Hirschfeld.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 11/21/10 at 8:02am

I picked up the cast recording last weekend, as I mentioned I like some of the music from Hair. Was Sasha Allen (Dionne) as annoying in the theatre as she is on the OBCR? I love "Let the Sunshine" until she starts chiming in, "Let it in. Let it in...."