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Press Releases
For Immediate Release
April 2, 2008
For more information, contact
Stuart Soloway
(585) 395-2797
ssoloway@brockport.edu
Hair Flows at Brockport
Iconic 1968 Play Celebrates 40th Anniversary
(top to bottom): Kevin Minor, Elizabeth Ann Trupia, Joshua Jedidiah, and Arielle RosenfeldPhoto: James Dusen
Brockport, NY – In the annals of American history, 1968 can be referred to politely as a year of upheaval. Not only were there student protests and multiple assassinations, but the controversial war in Vietnam continued to escalate, and voters elected a President who came to be reviled by a large percent of the population. On April 29, 1968, Hair opened on Broadway, shaking the notion of what a Broadway musical should be, and rocking the nation.
Amid some very similar circumstances, the 40th anniversary of Hair, “America’s tribal rock musical,” will be marked by a TheatreBrockport production, opening on Friday, April 25, 2008 at 7:30 pm at the College’s Tower Fine Arts Center Mainstage, 180 Holley Street.
While “hippies” may not be as prevalent as they were 40 years ago, the country’s youth still manages to drive American culture. “This is a show that broke through numerous boundaries, not the least of which was shattering the idea that a Broadway musical needed to hew to the Rodgers and Hammerstein mold. Musically speaking, it captured the essence of 1968’s popular and rock music; the sort that was starting to be played on the radio with more frequency,” says Frank Kuhn, producer of TheatreBrockport, and chair of the Department of Theatre. “But more than that, Hair captures the concerns of the 1960s: the war, the generation gap, racial relations, sexual identity, and self-discovery.”
Hair is many things to many people, but it is not just a 1960s revue. It is a sardonic look at what was viewed as the “establishment” in its many guises. The show has not been without its own controversies through its history. Because of its subject matter, the infamous nudity that took place in the original production, and stage business involving the American flag, Hair became as polarizing a theatrical attraction as had ever been witnessed. Touring companies and local productions ran afoul of the law in many cities, including Boston and Chattanooga, while protests greeted productions in Washington and St. Paul. “Musicals are often thought of as banal, but the sort of societal commentaries that have made shows like Rent and Spring Awakening – or even the newly opened Passing Strange and In the Heights – resound with Generation X or Y can all trace their roots back to Hair. Even 40 years later, Hair still matters,” adds Michael Krickmire, director of the Brockport production. In addition to TheatreBrockport, this production of Hair is being co-produced by the Brockport Student Government and The Harlequins. Hair includes content that may be considered offensive by some audience members.
Performances of Hair are April 25, 26, May 1, 2, 3 at 7:30 pm and April 27 at 2 pm. The performance on Sunday, April 27, will be sign language interpreted for the hearing impaired.
Tickets for the play are $12/General, $10/Seniors and $8/Students and are available by phone at (585) 395-ARTS or at the Tower Fine Arts Center Box Office. Tickets can also be obtained at all area Wegmans supermarkets.
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