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The age of Hair : evolution and impact of Broadway's first rock musical / Barbara Lee Horn.
| Author/creator | Horn, Barbara Lee |
| Format | Book |
| Publication Info | New York : Greenwood Press, 1991. |
| Description | xvii, 166 pages ; 22 cm. |
| Subjects |
| Series | Contributions in drama and theatre studies ; no. 42 Contributions in drama and theatre studies ; no. 42. ^A137224 |
| Contents | Hair and the hippies -- Experimental roots -- The creation and growth of Hair -- Hair on Broadway -- Beyond opening night -- The impact of Hair -- Appendix A. Staff and cast for Hair at the Public Theater, December 2, 1967 ; Appendix B. Staff and cast for Hair at the Biltmore Theatre, April 29, 1968 ; Appendix C. Staff and cast for Hair revival at the Biltmore theatre, October 5, 1977 ; Appendix D. Staff and cast for the motion picture version of Hair, 1979. |
| Abstract | A reflection and symbol of the turbulent 1960s and the culture and lifestyles of the Hippies, Hair made history as the first rock musical on Broadway and one of the most successful musicals. The sixties left an indelible imprint upon the American psyche, and Hair, in the words of critic Clive Barnes, summed it up better than any other piece of American theatre. Aside from bringing experimental techniques and rock music to Broadway, Hair, in the author's view, represented a major step in the evolution of the concept musical from the book musical and was the first concept musical to reach mass audiences, an achievement unheralded and little recognized. Horn analyzes the social context of Hair and the Hippies, describes the tenor of the Broadway theatre of the times and the experimental trends Off-Broadway that culminated in Hair's innovations on the Great White Way. She then goes on to relate the dramatic story of Hair's creation and growth, dash myths and clarify the actual events, including the casual meeting of coauthors Gerome Ragni and James Rado with producer Joseph Papp on a train. The transfer of Hair to Broadway is fully detailed, and the Broadway production is compared with the earlier production at Papp's Public Theater with lists of song sequences provided. Several revivals and the film version are also discussed, and staff and cast lists appear as appendixes. Horn's extensive archival research is amplified by insights from numerous interviews, including those with the authors, Ragni and Rado; composer, Galt MacDermot; Broadway producer, Michael Butler, directors, Gerald Freedman and Tom O'Horgan, musical director, Galt MacDermot; set designer, Robin Wagner; lighting designer, Jules Fisher, cast members, Melba Moore and Lorrie Davis; and others associated with one or more of the productions, as well as with theatre critics and theorists. Numerous published works were also consulted, and a strong bibliography is provided. |
| Bibliography note | Includes bibliographical references (pages 151-161) and index. |
| LCCN | 91015984 |
| ISBN | 0313275645 (alk. paper) |
Availability
| Library | Location | Call Number | Status | Item Actions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Music | Closed Stacks - Ask at Circulation Desk | ML410.M117 H7 1991 | ✔ Available | Place Hold |