The Official HAIR Revival Love Thread! — Page 2

How many sleep you lose if rain? Sunshine no let in? This be 10/10, too? Or that be anothers theads?

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HAIR, the movie, is on tv right now... channel 10 on Long Island, not sure about anywhere else!

Haha, exactly...it seems like Rado's never finished. I believe he and Ragni were actually fired (for a short time) from the Broadway production in 1969 because they began adding too many things, some of them even racier than what originally appeared in 1968.

"Fired" doesn't even begin to describe it. Producer Michael Butler didn't screw around...he went down to the docks himself, picked up a length of chain, walked however many blocks it was to the Biltmore with what looked like this gigantic pile of chain, and padlocked the doors so they could not enter. Guards (no doubt also hired from the docks simply for looking tough...again, Butler didn't screw around) were even posted outside for a while to ensure they could not enter period, be it as actors, authors, or to simply attend the show.

It was only when he learned that this was against Dramatists Guild rules and that he'd have to pay major fines did he decide to hash it out with them and include all their changes. Like most producers with other shows, he saw HAIR as a locked product that worked, so why mess with what worked?

Even now, as the Public production was opening, his comments (among other people's) were published in Variety pre-opening denouncing the reported changes to the script/score and saying that the original production was the best version.

On the one hand I applaud the constant revision because it's so unusual and so much in the spirit of the show--just as the OBC never really put on the exact same show twice, it's kind of cool that you can always come back to a new production of Hair and find something that wasn't there before. And it's nice to see a writer willing to accept that there's always room for improvement. But on the other hand, enough already! There does need to be a definitive version at some point.

Totally agree here. And each time Rado revises it, it's mainly for personal autobiographical reasons (namely, re-adding the Claude-Berger-Sheila love triangle because, well, Claude and Berger were very much him and Ragni, and he and Gerry were...well...need I draw you a picture?). Sometimes it's for completist reasons as well; in one version I remember him trying to write all the songs from "DisinHAIRited" into the show and replacing huge sections of book, making it more like a rock opera seldom interrupted by dialogue bits, a la more modern pieces like "Tanz der Vampire." (It actually kind of worked; if he has to carry on revising it after this, I suggest he use this book as a basis and work in the songs.)

Looks like Rado has settled on a great version this year, but I do wonder whether he's truly satisfied.

You and me both.

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No report from j* yet? I loose sleep waiting.

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gvendo--

And this is why I love BWW...if you wade through enough threads, you get some genuinely fascinating stories. I'd always been curious about the circumstances surrounding the "firing", but I'd never heard anything like what you say Butler did--that's insane! How long did this go on for?

Speaking of which--I recently read an old news item from around the time Lorrie Davis' "Letting Down My Hair" was published, which said that it was something of a tell-all that was sure to rankle a few of those involved with the show. But until then, I'd never heard that the book was like that. To anyone here who's read it--is it really full of juicy tidbits? Is it where the Butler story comes from? I've been hoping to get my hands on the book for a while now...I'm mostly just interested in learning more about what the original production was like, but it'd be pretty cool to get some gossip out of it as well.

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Here are some interesting reviews for the Original Broadway production, the 1977 Broadway revival and the 1979 Film version of HAIR from the NY Daily News Archives.


HAiR - NY Daily News Archives: Reviews

A truly amazing production, I've seen it 5 times so far and am hoping for more. It would be a tragedy for it not to go farther

I'm wondering though, if it was going to transfer, why would they keep extending it?

To give prospective backers more of a chance to see it, perhaps?

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oh you should have say "hi"!

and hello to everyone!

Yeah~ I love the show! I was with (my) chris and saw crushgroove (at the stage door) & dave1606 w/his mom last saturday I was thinking of writting my 10/10 Report on HAIR, but I was not feeling well today. I have been having these migraines for the past two months now. I suspect that I am anemic bec. I am a vegetarian and was not taking my multi-vitamins. I just set up an appointment with my doctor on Thursday for some blood test.. I get so easily tired and very moody lately. I posted my all photos on my facebook.. I can only write few sentences, that's why I posted it in my facebook..Sorry I will try to post today if not some other time, bec. I cant write that much- I get headaches!

Wow! I was glad that it was extended again! I have soo much to share but I cant write bec. of my migraines!

Edit: I was very very happy with the show.. I think this will be the Chicago of 1997 at the City Centers!

J*

Updated On: 8/18/08 at 12:44 PM

Last Saturday was a blast!. The Curtain Call was something else! Everyone (audience) came down to the stage dancing and singing..Let the sunshine in! almost in acapella! the crowd wont stop singing! i have never seen something like this...the whoel stage was filled with people singing and dancing!

SPOILER********

The finale gave me goose bumps...when Groff laid down on the Amercan Flag (looking as he is dead) while the tribe sang Let the sunshine in.....they exited the and the whole crowd (audience ) joined singing...."Let the sunshine in" over and over... till there's no more band accompaniment....just accapella..now the whole audience has taken over singing that song! ...while Groff lies there in the middle of the field like a dead soilder just a spot light on him and the american flag.. the crowd was still singing for 2 mins...... lights out!

OMG!

*********END******

and someone from the audience last saturday yelled (during the scene where the tribe is smoking potts) Dont Boggart that Joint?- how funny!

I will try gather my strength..as I said i cant write too many sentences at once.bec. of my migraines, that's what I did on my facebook- i just download photos and keep adding notes later...

Edit: I was not disappointed with the show. it exceeded my expectations. I said something on my facebook about Groff- that I was not a fan of his in SA, but here as the sexually ambigous Claude- works soo perfectly. Even his spitting (that I cant stand) work for his advantage- it made him more organic! I am a converted Groff fan now!

J*

Updated On: 8/18/08 at 01:11 PM

The Playbill

Updated On: 8/22/08 at 02:03 PM