I sometimes refer to 1968 as "The Year America Died". If you get a chance read 1968 The Year That Rocked The World by Mark Kurlansky. It was a hopeful time that came crashing down around our ears. A great deal of the positive and negative was reflected by a new arrival on Broadway.
In a year marked by as much social and cultural upheaval as 1968, it was understandable that the New York Times review of a controversial musical newly arrived on Broadway would describe the show in political terms. "You probably don't have to be a supporter of Eugene McCarthy to love it," wrote critic Clive Barnes, "but I wouldn't give it much chance among the adherents of Governor Reagan." The show in question was the now-famous "tribal love-rock musical" that introduced the era-defining song "Aquarius" and gave New York theatergoers a full-frontal glimpse of the burgeoning 60s-counterculture esthetic. Hair premiered on Broadway on April 29, 1968.
What a piece of work is a man! how noble in reason!
how infinite in faculty! in form and moving how
express and admirable! in action how like an angel!
in apprehension how like a god! the beauty of the
world! the paragon of animals! And yet, to me,
what is this quintessence of dust? man delights not
me: no, nor woman neither, though by your smiling
you seem to say so.
William Shakespeare
Hamlet
6 comments:
One of my all-time favorite musicals... Love it!!!
I have the movie on DVD and play it often and sing along.
I LOVE 'Hair'! My family used to have the 8-track tape, and I even choreographed a dance to 'The Hair Song' for my sister and me. We were in elementary school at the time...
Aquarius still has me singing along. :)
I enjoyed your set.
Excellent! So many great songs, not only from the various cast recordings but also as covers on the pop charts.
This is one play that I've never actually seen all the way through and I don't recall seeing the movie either. I wonder why not as I love a lot of the music?
Methinks I'm going to have to rectify that oversight!
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