Let the Sun Shine in: The Genius of Hair

Shining, gleaming, steaming, flaxen, waxen In 1967, Hair launched a revolution. It rejected every convention of Broadway, of traditional theatre in general, and of the American musical specifically. It paved the way for the nonlinear concept musicals that dominated American musical theatre innovation thereafter. It also launched the careers of such actors as Diane Keaton, Melba Moore, Tim Curry, Peter Gallagher, and Ben Vereen.

Knotted, polka-dotted, twisted, beaded, braided With more regional productions of Hair than ever before, Scott Miller gives us an incisive and fascinating analysis of the show. He looks at its place in theatre and cultural history, and its impact on recent musicals, including Rent. What’s more, he delves into the mystical power Hair has over performers and viewers alike and its ability to literally change lives today–including his. Just ten days shy of the terrorist attacks in September 2001, Miller’s theatre company had wrapped up their second production of Hair. The show profoundly shaped their reaction to those events, committing them to the belief in the goodness of people in general and of Americans in specific and in the connectedness we all share. And, as he reports, the same profound feelings have been true of others performing this piece.

Bangled, tangled, spangled, and spaghettied! Whether you’re a fan wanting to relive the time that extolled peace, love, and understanding–and sex, drugs, and rock ‘n roll!or a theatre professional needing insightful analysis for a production, read Scott Miller and know the true genius of Hair.

Let the sun shine, let the sun shine in, the sun shine in.