Director’s Note
“You’re doing Hair?” The initial reaction from many people who hear that we are doing Hair is to burst into a nostalgic verse from "Aquarius" or 'Let the Sun Shine In." However, when people begin to look into or catch word of some of Hair’s more controversial content, I have witnessed at many moments, this spirited support replaced by fear, confusion, and at times, strong opposition. Why put on a show that depicts stereotypes of Native Americans, Blacks, Jews, Asians, elders, youngsters, Christians, Buddhists, North and South? Why perform a show that seemingly satirically, recklessly, and indiscriminately presents stereotypes, slurs, and unsavory historical scenes, while at the same time calls for peace, understanding, and unity?
The simple answer I can offer is that we need to talk about this stuff. Whether you come to see this show as racist, or anti-racist, sexist or anti-sexist, a hymn of peace or a misguided and messy attempt at social critique and protest (and it may be all of these at once), we pour our hearts, minds, and bodies into this piece specifically for two purposes. The first is to remind; we want to remind our communities that the issues raised in the Hair of the 1960’s continue to be our challenges today, and have been for many hundreds of years. The second purpose is to further dialogue, particularly between different groups and generations, about where we are as a country and a community.
In preparing for this show, we have had many thorough conversations and debates between people of different backgrounds, ethnicities, and ages. We have put under our young and curious microscopes the world of the 1960’s as well as the present day. Despite our research, we as a mostly-young, majority-white and middle class collection of artists, are not equipped and do not intend to teach others about issues of race, gender, ecology, war, and other themes in Hair. We are not educators who prescribe a dogma and a course of action. We are story-tellers who bring worlds to life in all their flaws and glory. We give you this story in hopes that by witnessing the exuberant fumblings, passionate protests, and desperate soul-seeking of this wandering community of hippies, we may see reflected, some of our own ways, our own words, and our world. There is a hope to be rekindled and there is listening to be done. We speak hopefully for justice and change, and we call out voices and ideas of the past and present: the good and the bad, the painful and the peaceful. By saying these words, we hold up our history to be examined once more.
