On Hair and Greendale
http://www.thirteen.org/sundayarts/blog/music-composition/musicals-with-a-message/598/
I recently caught previews of a couple of musical theater productions based on socially and politically relevant themes. Written nearly four decades apart, they shared a lot in common besides locating their respective bands prominently on stage, and raised some interesting questions about musically-delivered serious messages.
The high-profile production of Hair (subtitle: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical) is at the stadium-like outdoor amphitheater of the Delacorte in Central Park, presented by The Public Theater’s Shakespeare in the Park, through August. This show originally premiered at The Public 41 years ago before transferring to Broadway for nearly 2,000 performances.
There is something completely appropriate about it being performed outside, with cast members climbing over the tree-lined upstage fence to make their entrances onto the patchy grass stage. (A wicked summer thunderstorm held its own drama all night, but the all too life-like lightning unfortunately cut short the final act.) This production is directed by Diane Paulus.
Hair (book and lyrics by Gerome Ragni/James Rado; music by Galt Macdermot) tracks the story of Claude’s evolution from love child to drafted soldier in a pointless war. But the message gets a bit buried beneath all the love-ins and exhibitionism, which were of course main attractions as well. And the characters are so self-involved, it’s not easy to find them completely sympathetic. A handful of the show’s songs remain staples on certain AM stations, but there are also plenty of clunkers to pad the long playlist.
