‘Hair’ at 7 Stages
Hair at 7 Stages
If you saw the electrifying performance Bo Bice and the cast of “Hair” gave at the 2009 Tony Awards, you’ve probably been dying to see the show.
It’s now playing at 7 Stages in Atlanta. But it doesn’t come close to the Tony Award-winning version now on Broadway.
Nonetheless, if you can’t get there and want to celebrate love, peace, freedom and long-haired hippie life in New York City, this is your show. The cast will lure you in, talking, singing and dancing with you. And someone might even give you a lap dance.
Want something more provocative than that, like full-frontal nudity? You got it!
If you can go and focus on the message, rather than the messengers, you could end up having a swell time. You’ll have to overlook some things, like a blatant wig that contrasts drastically with a character’s skin tone, and a shag haircut that is a total anachronism. “Hair” takes place in 1967. The shag was invented in 1971 by Paul McGregor, who created it for Jane Fonda for the movie “Klute.”
While there are some good performers, a couple of them stand out.
Christie Lee Fisher is sweet as Crissy. She sings so prettily and with such emotion that I wanted to comfort her during one song as she was waiting for her man to appear.
Dionne (Dorothy Victoria Bell) is believable and truthful in all that she does on stage. She sings with such heart, soul and power that I could listen to her sing for hours.
The live band does a good job of uniting with the characters and bringing life to the production. Musicians include professionals from around the city who play in local bands and nightclubs.
Jonathan, a 20-year-old art school student who saw the show the same night I did, said, “Not much has changed in 40 years.”
He said he and his friends do the same things young people were doing in the ‘60s. They get high together on pot and mushrooms, they sing and dance to music, and they rail against the country’s involvement in wars overseas.
“Hair” runs at 7 Stages through Oct. 11.
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