CRANFORD – Protests over war. Political dissention. Sit-ins. Campus takeovers. Sound familiar? Yes, all that could be taken from today’s headlines, but it is the basis of Hair: The American Tribal Love Rock Musical that opened at Cranford Dramatic Club’s (CDC) Theatre on Friday night. This adage is seemingly true – the more things change, the more they remain the same. With the book and lyrics by Gerone Ragni and James Rado, and music by Galt MacDermot the show’s original production was produced 1968, but it rings true today with a message of love, inclusion, and freedom.
At the time of its first production, it was a statement of freedom of expression with profanity, drugs, and sex. This rock musical with interracial casting and nudity shocked its audiences. The very loosely structured plot involves Claude (Griffin Gartlgruber) who must decide if he will burn his draft card like most of his male friends have done or serve in Vietnam. His friends/lovers/roommates Sheila (Amanda Malone) and Berger (Austin Lee Windolph) are all supportive and don’t want to see their pacifist pal going off to war.
The CDC show starts with the cast members, known to each other as the Amythest Tribe gathering, one by one, on the stage way before the 8 p.m. curtain time. A functional set of steps and platforms is accented by a second tier where the band of six is platformed in an ingenious overlay cutout of a bus. The talent of Zach Mazouat and Ed Whitman created that set that amazing set with a mural on the bus in typical 60’s colors and themes of peace signs and psychedelic mushrooms. The “tribe” is just that: a group of people of different sizes, shapes and colors who coalesce, forming a bond that the audience recognizes before the show even starts. The fantastic period-accurate costumes and wigs (Jannette Fisher) boast fringe, denim, bellbottoms, headbands, flower adornment and the like.
The musical start of the show is the well-known “Aquarius” sung powerfully by Dionne (Jannette Fisher) who dramatically bursts on the stage from hidden doors. But what exactly is the “ age of Aquarius”, anyway? Astrologically, it means the time when “peace will guide the planets and love will steer the stars.” The musical group Fifth Dimension made that song famous with the lyrics that speak of “Harmony and understanding, sympathy and trust abound….” It sounds like a flower-strewing pipe dream, but the hippie culture back then believed it. And this cast exudes that belief.
Berger, the extreme definition of extrovert in personality and physicality, is energy personified. Mr. Windolph must drink two bottles of Red Bull before each show. His charisma is intoxicating. In “Donna” he jumps, cavorts, wriggles, and runs all over the stage. Likewise, in “I Got Life” he and the tribe dance and jive with fantastic, frenzied, spectacular lighting design accompaniment (Mark Reilly). Later, one of the show stopping numbers, “Easy to be Hard” sung by Ms. Malone, is a tear-jerker, with the actress alone on the stage. Music director Catherine Corcoran keeps the six-piece band rocks out at breakneck speed.
The number “My Conviction” sung as Margaret Mead, a hilarious Daraius W. Phillips, also the dance captain shows his vocal and athletic dexterity. Kudos to director/choreographer Michael Kidney who uses the intimate stage space at CDC wisely by removing a row of chairs for the actors to spill into the aisles with their contagious upbeat singing and dancing. Mr. Gartlgruber’s character Claude plays a myriad of emotions throughout and handles each one with aplomb. Whether it’s in his delusional “Manchester, England” where he claims he’s from or his duet with Berger in the title song or in his stunning nightmare, he’s believable. Great casting causes this chemistry to cross the footlights. Every performer in this show deserves accolades from the overly “pregnant” Rachel Love to the specific actors in “Black Boys” and “White Boys” and “Abie, Baby.” If you don’t walk out humming “Good Morning Starshine” or “Let the Sunshine In” there’s no blood in your veins.
The adult show runs weekends through May 19. Tickets may be purchased at the door.
