Hair (musical) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hair |
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| The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical | |
Original Broadway poster
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| Music | Galt MacDermot |
| Lyrics |
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| Book |
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| Productions | |
| Awards | Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical |
Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical is a famous rock musical. It has a story and songs written by Gerome Ragni and James Rado, with music by Galt MacDermot. This musical became very important because many of its songs turned into anthems for the peace movement during the Vietnam War.
Hair was groundbreaking for musical theatre. It helped define a new type of show called the "rock musical." It first opened in 1967 in a smaller theatre called Off-Broadway. After some changes, it moved to Broadway in April 1968 at the Biltmore Theatre. The show was very popular and ran for 1,750 performances.
Contents
About the Musical Hair
Hair tells the story of a group of young people in New York City during the 1960s. They are part of a "tribe" or community. The musical explores their lives, dreams, and challenges. It shows their feelings about society, freedom, and the Vietnam War.
What is Hair About?
The main character is Claude, a young man from Oklahoma. He has been drafted into the army to fight in the Vietnam War. He meets a group of hippies who live freely and question traditional rules. They believe in peace, love, and living in harmony.
The musical explores themes like:
- Peace and War: Many songs express strong feelings against the Vietnam War. They call for peace and understanding.
- Freedom and Individuality: The characters celebrate being themselves. They want to live without strict rules.
- Community: The "tribe" shows how people can come together and support each other.
The show uses rock music to share these powerful messages. It was a new and exciting way to tell a story on stage.
Its Impact and Legacy
When Hair first came out, it was very different from other musicals. It used rock music, which was popular with young people. It also talked about important social issues of the time. This made it a very relevant and talked-about show.
Hair helped create the "rock musical" genre. It showed that musicals could be modern and address serious topics. Its songs became popular outside the show, too. They were sung at protests and became symbols of the peace movement. The musical's influence can still be seen in many modern shows today.
Awards and Recognition
Hair has received many awards and nominations over the years. This shows how much it has been appreciated in the world of theatre.
The original Broadway production was nominated for several Tony Awards in 1969. These included Best Musical and Best Direction of a Musical. The original cast album also won a Grammy Award for Best Score From an Original Cast Show Album. This award recognized the great music by Galt MacDermot and lyrics by Gerome Ragni and James Rado.
In 2009, a new production of Hair opened on Broadway. This revival was also very successful. It won the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical. It also won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Revival of a Musical. These awards show that the musical's message and music are still powerful and important today.
See also
In Spanish: Hair (musical) para niños
- List of plays with anti-war themes
- List of anti-war songs
Images for kids
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Gerome Ragni (front) and James Rado (behind Ragni, in black T-shirt and cap) with a 2006 Hair cast in Red Bank, New Jersey.
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In these two measures of "What a Piece of Work Is Man", the red notes indicate a weak syllable on a strong beat.
