Theater fanatics in Athens are anticipating Tantrum Theater’s production of “Hair,” which is often described as a time capsule for the 1960s.
The show will run this Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and March 4-7 at the Elizabeth Evans Baker Theater in Kantner Hall, located on 19 S. College St. Both this Saturday and March 7 will have matinee performances at 2 p.m., and all other performances will be at 8 p.m. Tickets prices depend on seating, and range from $10-$27.
“Hair” came out in 1967 and was written by James Rado and Gerome Ragni, who drew inspiration from their experiences and observations living in New York’s East Village, according to Hair Broadway. “Hair” is known as the first rock musical, and touches on 1960s topics such as anti-war movements, hippie culture, sexual liberation, drug use and other heavy plotlines.
The story takes place in New York City and follows a “tribe” of young hippies, navigating challenges such as the Vietnam War and personal identity. Claude is one of the main characters, a young man struggling with the responsibility to enter the draft and the pressure from his hippie friends to refuse to fight.
“Hair” first premiered at The Public Theater in New York City in 1967, before the storyline was completely altered for Broadway, according to Elearncollege. It was a shocking and influential musical when it made its debut on stage at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London, due to the provocative and scandalous themes, according to the BBC.
The musical references homosexuality, profanity and a nude scene, which was considered taboo in England before its showing. This was a big moment for musical theater, as many people took this as inspiration and began to create more musicals with risque content.
Billy Elias, a senior studying musical theater, plays Claude in the show, which he said is a dream role of his. Elias said he got into musical theater in middle school by accident, when his math teacher and drama club head told him she heard he was trying out for the musical. He agreed and fell in love with being on stage.
“I don't know why I did, but I blindly agreed to be on stage,” Elias said. “I had never done it before in my life, which I think, looking back at childhood photos of me, you can tell that this is going to happen eventually. You can just see it in my eyes.”
Elias said the opportunity to play Claude was interesting, given the differences between him and the character.
“Sometimes, when you're watching a show, I feel like you're watching people make decisions that you think are obviously the incorrect ones,” Elias said. “Then when you put yourself into somebody else's shoes and think about the realities that they're living in, then it becomes a lot more nuanced.”
Elias said the meaning of the title “Hair” represents the hippies who saw hair as a large part of their identities in the 1960s, and long hair became an iconic symbol for the hippie movement, as well as a well-known stereotype. He also said the message of the show is important during this time; he interprets it as encouraging people to live authentically, despite oppressive governments and other conflicts.
“I think that it's important to remember … they can't take you away from you, if that makes sense,” Elias said. “You are still you, regardless of what's going on.”
Chris Reinhardt, a senior studying musical theater, is part of the tribe of hippies, as well as the understudy for the character Berger. He said “Hair” is described as a political anti-violence show, but it is also about celebrating life, as well as loved ones.
Reinhardt said the tribe is an interesting part of “Hair,” as they rarely leave the stage, reacting to the show as the audience does.
“The tribe is still … going through the plot of the show as it's happening,” Reinhardt said. “We are also performers putting it on. We are doubling as an extension of the audience, but also as these characters and their friends.”
Reinhardt said the cast began rehearsing a week before the spring semester. They had practices every day except Sunday and Monday for four hours, which he said never felt long because of the positive environment. Reinhardt said the show is musically driven, with historic imagery and stylized movement.
Reinhardt said the show resonates with issues people face today, as the musical focused on the “needless violence” in Vietnam, and how the world should focus on loving one another, despite differences.
“With ICE raids and communities kind of turning in on themselves, the war where we're siding with Israel, we are having so much needless violence,” Reinhardt said.
Madison Russell, a senior studying musical theater, is playing the part of Jeanie, a pregnant, zany girl in love with Claude.
Russell said Jeanie is a funny but sad character, as she deals with a lot of hardships and enjoys getting high. Jeanie acts as almost a narrator in the musical, as Russell said. Jeanie breaks the fourth wall often and knows what will happen next.
“I would say that she is the embodiment of what it is to be a woman in the 1960s and 1970s who doesn't have the privilege to be angry about things, but still has concern for the greater world,” Russell said.
Russell said she finds the idea of being born in a country and then sent to “die for it” to be a crucial part of the plot. She said this musical is not like most, as it’s “against the grain,” but people will be moved by the message with an open mind.
