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Landmark Musical Theatre proudly presents the 50th Anniversary of the Summer Of Love production of HAiR at the Great Star Theatre in San Francisco, August 4-26, 2017.
In addition to the Summer of Love anniversary, we celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the musical HAiR itself, one of the first rock musicals ever to reach Broadway, with a stirring book and rousing lyrics by James Rado and Gerome Ragni, and a glorious musical score by Galt MacDermot. The original Broadway cast album of HAiR was the last such album to reach #1 on the Billboard Album charts, staying in that position for 13 weeks, a feat not matched even by the recent megahit Hamilton.
A product of the hippie counterculture and the social/sexual revolution of the late 1960s, HAiR mirrors what was happening in the United States during that era, in particular the conflict over the Vietnam War and the use of the draft to conscript young American men to fight the war. Although the draft is no longer an issue in America, many of the themes found in HAiR continue to resonate in our modern society, including the battle over the legalization and widespread use of sensory enhancement drugs (marijuana, and psychedelics), the isolation of youth and movements aimed at racial equality, LGBT rights and feminism.
Opening off-Broadway in October 1967 at the Public Theater in Greenwich Village, it quickly moved to Broadway under the auspices of producer Michael Butler and director Tom O'Horgan in April 1968 where it became a huge hit, with concurrent productions running in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago and many other cities, both in the United States and worldwide. It closed on Broadway in 1972, after running almost five years and becoming, at the time, the 10th longest running Broadway musical ever.
Our Show
This regional production of HAiR is directed by Jon Rosen, who also directed HAiR in 2007 for the 40th Anniversary in San Jose. Most recently, he directed a well-received production of The Roar of the Greasepaint, The Smell of the Crowd at the EXIT Theatre.
Choreographer Jennifer Lee Ho performed in the original San Francisco production of HAiR in the role of Crissy, and also served as dance captain with several other companies of HAiR including the national touring companies. Jenny is a busy dance instructor in San Mateo and is excited to be revisiting the material which she says changed her life.
The show's tribe is named 'Uli after a word in the extinct native American language Rammaytush, spoken by native Americans in the San Francisco bay area, and meaning (of course!) "hair". The translation can be found embedded in the pavement on 4th Street in San Francisco, near Townsend on a plaque, one of 104 such words that have been identified as part of that ancient language.
The tribe includes David Peterson as Berger and Domonic Tracy as Chaude, two hippies living in the East Village of Manhattan, with Corrie Farbstein as Sheila, the renegade NYU student and antiwar protester. Pablo Soriano plays the gentle-mannered albeit occasionally drug-clouded Woof, and David is Hud, the black intellectual militant, along with Marla Cox as Dionne, Jackie Bonsignore as Crissy and Dani as Jeanie.
Cautionary Notes
HAiR contains strong, adult language, sexual situations, drug references and simulated drug use and brief nudity (just before the end of the first act during the song "Where Do I Go"). Although there is no official rating standard for live theatrical productions, Landmark Musicals believes that this production, if rated by the MPAA film rating system, would earn either a strong PG-13 or mild R rating. The minimum age of 13 noted in the comments is a recommendation, but parents or legal guardians my bring their own school-age children. Parents bringing children who appear to be under the age of 13 will be asked to sign a waiver acknowledging their understanding of the content.
While the Great Star Theater has some seating which can easily be used by people with disabilities, the theater (dating back to 1925( has no reasonable disabled restroom facilities.)
The Pre-show
Each performance of HAiR will start an hour before curtain (7 PM on nights with an 8 PM curtain and 2 PM on matinees with a 3 PM curtain) with a 40-50 minute series of performances by a variety of performers (different every show) including local street buskers and musicians, aerialists and gymnasts, comedians, special guest artists and members of the San Francisco 'Uli tribe themselves.
The pre-shows are designed to resemble a local street fair and some members of the tribe will mingle in the auditorium and lobby with the audience.
Seating will continue throughout the pre-show and refreshments (including beer, wine, soda, water, popcorn and a selection of snacks) may be purchased at the concession stands.
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LocationGreat Star Theater (View)
636 Jackson St.
San Francisco, CA 94133
United States
Categories
| Minimum Age: 13 |
| Kid Friendly: No |
| Dog Friendly: No |
| Non-Smoking: No |
| Wheelchair Accessible: No |
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