Press Release

Hair opens July 23

Date:  07/13/2009

COLDWATER, MI—

Billed as an American Tribal Love-Rock Musical, “Hair” takes to the stage Thursday, July 23 as the third show of Tibbits Summer Theatre’s professional summer stock season.

“Hair” tells the story of the "tribe", a group of politically active, long-haired "Hippies of the Age of Aquarius" fighting against the draft during the Vietnam War. Living a communal life together in New York City. Claude, played by Beau Hutchings (Marshall, MI/ NYC), his good friend Berger, played by Lars Valdor Haglund (Farmington, MI), their roommate Sheila, played by Lindsay Spencer (Lexington, KY) and all their friends struggle to balance their young lives, loves and the sexual revolution with their pacifist feelings against the war and the conservative impulses of their parents and society. Ultimately Claude must decide whether or not to resist the draft, as his friends have done.

With book and lyrics by James Rado and Gerome Ragni and music by Galt MacDermot, “Hair” broke new ground in musical theatre by defining the genre of the "rock musical." A product of the hippie counter-culture and sexual revolution of the 1960s, several of its songs became anthems of the anti-Vietnam War peace movement. Its profanity, its depiction of the use of illegal drugs, its treatment of sexuality, its irreverence for the flag, its brief nudity, and its racially-integrated cast, caused much comment and controversy in 1968.

While the impact has changed with the changes in society, the show still has a strong effect on everyone, but now acts as a bridge between generations and viewpoints. Whether audiences are of the generation who lived through it or of the generation who considers it retro the energy and impact are timeless.

Directed by Raymond Gabica (Macomb, IL), with musical direction by Patrick Young (Albany, NY), the cast also includes Greg Pragel (Tonawanda, NY) as Woof, Mitch Thurman (Bonne Terre, MO) as Hubert, Brian Sage (Detroit, MI) as Margaret Mead, Tiffany Wiessend (Taylor, MI) as Crissy, Alison Gritz (NYC) as Jeanie, Jared Wietbrock (Grayson, GA) as Hud, Tiffany Yvonne Cox (Cherry Hill, NJ) as Dionne and Lindsey Spencer (Lexington, KY) as Sheila. Local musicians Mike Gorecki and John Rucker will be featured in the orchestra.

The Broadway revival of “Hair” opened on March 31, 2009, and earned rave reviews winning the Tony Award and Drama Desk Award for best revival of a musical. After an off-Broadway debut in October 1967, “Hair” originally opened on Broadway in April 1968 and ran for 1,750 performances. Several of the songs from its score which includes “Aquarius,” “Good Morning Starshine,” ’”I Believe in Love,” ”Hair,” “I Got Life,” ”What a Piece of Work Is Man” and “Hippie Life” became Top 40 hits. A feature film adaptation was released in 1979.

“Hair” is presented with the generous support of Integrative Somatics Institute in memory of Michael Bultinck. Additional support came from Arts and Industry Council a program of the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs.

This show is scheduled for July 23- 25 and July 30 – August 1 at 8 pm with 2 pm matinees on July 23 and 29. Tickets are available on-line at www.Tibbits.org or by calling the box office 10-5 Monday through Friday at 517-278-6029. Tibbits Opera House is located at 14 S. Hanchett St., Coldwater, MI.