Aquarius Theatre "HAIR" Los Angeles / Nude Scene 1968 Rehearsal Press Photo

Description

This is a rare double-weight 8" X 10" inch press photograph of two unidentified members of the West Coast Premiere production during rehearsals for the groundbreaking GEROME RAGNI, JAMES RADO and GALT MacDERMOT American Tribal Love-Rock Musical "HAIR" at the Aquarius Theatre in Hollywood, California. (The production originally opened October 29th, 1967 at New York's Joseph Papp Public Theatre and ran for 49 performances. An overwhelming demand for tickets resulted in a move December 22nd, 1967 to the Cheetah Theatre, a former discotheque on Broadway at 53rd Street, where it ran for an additional 45 performances. The production later opened April 29th, 1968 at New York's Biltmore Theatre and ran for 1750 performances while mounting productions throughout the U.S. and abroad. The Los Angeles engagement began previews on November 22nd, 1968, officially opened December 3rd, 1968 and ran for over two years.) .....
"HAIR" is a rock musical which was the product of the hippie counter-culture and sexual revolution of the 1960's. Several of its songs became anthems of the anti–Vietnam War peace movement. The musical's profanity, its depiction of the use of illegal drugs, its treatment of sexuality, its irreverence for the American flag, and its nude scene caused much controversy and as a result initially made it difficult to find a home in a Broadway theatre. The show broke new ground in musical theatre by defining the genre of the "rock musical" and utilizing a racially-integrated cast.
Hair
was conceived by actors JAMES RADO and GEROME RAGNI (both members of the Original Broadway and Aquarius Theatre casts). The two actors met in 1964, when they acted together in the Off-Broadway play
Hang Down Your Head and Die
, and they began writing
Hair
together in early 1965. The main characters of Claude and Berger were autobiographical, Rado's Claude being the pensive romantic and Ragni's Berger the extrovert. Their close relationship, sometimes volatile, is symbolized in the show by the well known ballad "Easy to be Hard". In addition to the two authors, the Original Broadway Cast included a young DIANE KEATON and MELBA MOORE. Other prominent actors and singers who have appeared in productions throughout the U.S. and abroad include JILL O'HARA, TIM CURRY, MEAT LOAF, ELAINE PAIGE, JOE MANTEGNA, PAUL JABARA, BEN VEREEN, KEITH CARRADINE, TED NEELEY, JOBRIATH, JENNIFER WARREN, DAVID PATRICK KELLY, DOBIE GRAY, PHILIP MICHAEL THOMAS, DONNA SUMMER, ANDRE DeSHIELDS, PAUL NICHOLAS, SHARON REDD, REG LIVERMORE and RICHARD O'BRIEN. (Reprinted in part from Wikipedia.) ..... LOS ANGELES: On December 3rd, 1968, the musical opened at the Aquarius Theater and settled in for a two year run. GEROME RAGNI and JAMES RADO played "Berger" and "Claude" in the opening months and other prominent members of the company included BEN VEREEN, TOM SMOTHERS (who was also one of the producers), MICHAEL BUTLER, DELORES HALL, JOBRIATH SALISBURY, TED NEELEY, DOBIE GRAY and JENNIFER WARREN ..... BROADWAY CREDITS: Music by GALT MacDERMOT ("Hair", "Two Gentlemen of Verona", "Dude", "Via Galactica", "The Human Comedy"); Book and Lyrics by GEROME RAGNI and JAMES RADO; Sets designed by ROBIN WAGNER; Costumes designed by NANCY POTTS; Choreographed by JULIE ARENAL; Directed by TOM O'HORGAN; Produced by MICHAEL BUTLER
..... DETAILS: This rare double-weight photo measures 8" X 10" inches, has no outside margins and includes a photo credit for RON MILLER (second scanned image). The photo was among several provided by the Los Angeles "Hair" Company Manager after receiving a request from JOHN WILLIS, the former editor of "Theatre World", the annual pictorial and statistical yearbook. Included are photocopies of both John Willis' form letter and the letter returned with the photo by JAMES PRESTON, Company Manager ..... CONDITION: With the exception of light edge wear, this rare photo is in excellent condition and will make a wonderful addition to the collection of any musical theatre aficionado or historian. This item will be carefully packaged in a protective sleeve and backed by stiff cardboard.