Even if you didn't experience it first hand, you know what the 1960s represented. Maybe you dig the image of bead-clad hippies, head bands and a long-haired version of your Uncle Rick giving the peace sign. Maybe it makes your eyes roll. But what are you left with when you strip the 1960s of all the iconic fashions and trends? You get war protests, a thriving experimental drug scene and a large counter-culture ready and willing to voice dissent.
It's difficult to separate the ideas behind the '60s from the images of it. But this is exactly what the University's drama department aims to do in its upcoming production of Hair.
In the original production of the Broadway musical, the idea of putting bell-bottomed, long-haired hippies on stage was enough of a provocation to a more traditional, Shakespeare-embracing audience. I should really say a rather shocking provocation. Nowadays, the original Hair might make our parents feel a little nostalgic and maybe give younger audiences a good laugh. When I sat down with Thadd McQuade, the guest director of the upcoming production, he seemed to have a little something different in mind.
"We're taking away some of the conventional elements of Hair," McQuade explained.
This means if you come to the show only expecting to see hippies on stage, you might be a little disappointed. But McQuade doesn't seem to think this will hinder the message of the show.
"Some might ask, what else is there if there are no hippies?" McQuade said. "Well, the structure of the show is very different, for one. The actors are given a lot more freedom."
One example of this freedom involves the costumes. We already know there will be no hippies. I won't take all of the fun out of the show by disclosing what the actors will look like, but I can say that individual expression was a definite theme for the costume designers.
I can also say that in this production of Hair, the appearances of the actors, though unique, may not be the most captivating aspect of the performance. In fact, that's just the point. While talking to McQuade, I started to realize that the idea behind this version of Hair is that the actors won't be focused on portraying a stereotypical image.
But that's not to say the performance will be any less interesting for the audience. What I observed while sitting in on part of a rehearsal was acting chock-full of creativity.
For example Claude, the main character, is able to orchestrate his own type of production when on stage. While literally giving the other actors cues, he serves as the director of a show presenting what's going on in his mind. In this way he is able to deliver the main ideas behind the counter-culture of the 1960s, which he serves to personify instead of just presenting its image.
There's only one catch: this Claude doesn't have long hair. So while he's singing the famous number Hair you begin to wonder what he really has in mind. You're forced to consider the lyrics instead of focusing on the actual hair. It has to do with an idea; the reasons behind why he wants to grow his hair all flowy and nappy in the first place. Hair is about defiance. It is about resisting cultural norms and standing up for what you believe in rather than blindly accepting the dictations of the government.
But lovechildren beware: Now that they won't be muffled behind a head of hair, you might actually hear the words of your parents' generation.
Hair runs from April 19-21 and 25-28 in Culbreth Theatre. Tickets are $16 for adults, $14 for seniors and $10 for students.
Read More
The best albums of 2014
By Noah Zeidman | December 4, 2014Across genres, it has been a pretty great year in music.
Top 10 movies of 2014
December 4, 2014This has been an excellent year for film, offering everything from gripping blockbusters to innovative personal films.
Iggy Azalea is “Reclassified”
December 4, 2014It has become common practice among music artists to repackage their albums in an effort to simultaneously boost single sales and dish out new content by slightly renaming the album or slapping “Deluxe” onto the title.
