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| What is the show about?: |
Hair follows a group of young countercultural hippies who are opposing the Vietnam War and the values of their conservative parents. Claude has to decide whether he should resist the draft as his friends have done, or betray his values and heed its call.
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| What is the vibe of the show?: |
Rebellious, political, celebratory, irreverent
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| How would you describe the music of the show?: |
It's all very reminiscent of the 1960s rock and roll movement, but more reflective and poetic than a Jimi Hendrix solo. At times the lyrics resemble a chant or a prayer more than what we usually consider a musical number. (For example, there are two songs which consist of chanting the names of drugs and sexual acts, respectively.)
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| What characters are in the show? What do they demand of the actors who play them?: |
The show is very ensemble driven, there are only a few characters who are named and focused on. Nobody in the show seems to have very difficult vocal parts, the main demand placed on the performers is a consistent enthusiasm and energy directed toward what this "tribe" believes in.
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| What did you think of the show?: |
I can appreciate what it did in its time to challenge conservative norms surrounding race, sex, and lifestyle. However, the emphasis on message over plot moves it outside of my usual taste in entertainment, not to mention that in my life these same issues have taken on much subtler character. All that being said, this is clearly a progressive and important piece of work.
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| Does the show have any roles or songs that might be appropriate for folks in the class?: |
We'd all be perfectly at home in this cast, it is meant for young people with diverse identities.
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