"Idol"izing Hair

This Floral Fantasy fractal pretty much screams 60s.  That's why I chose it for my review of Hair.  Hmm--that was remarkably simple... Ah well--on with the review!
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I've been fascinated by Hair (the musical not the stuff that grows on heads and other places) since my early teens: I had become aware of the musical through movies like The Music Man, West Side Story and Gypsy which used to play pretty regularly on Thursday Night at the Movies.  (Does anyone remember those?)  Still, Broadway was a long way away from the sleepy little desert town where I grew up--and there was no way I was going to go.  Still, my next door neighbor Donald Ray Hale had an 8-Track tape of the show (dunno how he got it or why) but it seemed to be playing almost every time I was over there--hence I got pretty familiar with the show.  Then Hair came to Los Angeles for an extended run (like two years) at the Aquarius Theater.  Turned out my sister Syn Dee lived not too far from that storied venue (yeah right!) and we'd drive by it several times whenever we went to visit.  For the first time there was the possibility I could see a real, live Broadway Show!
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But sadly, that dream was never to be: my sisters (with the possible exception of Tanya--who I never asked) weren't interested in seeing the show and I doubt my parents would have wanted me to see anything that glorified sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll (and lets not forget the NUDITY!!!)  Soon enough the 60s faded and Hair, the Tribal-Love Rock Musical (as it was called back then) faded with them.  There was an ill-conceived movie version in the early 80s but it was nothing short of horrible.  Eventually though, like everything else, the endless recycling of pop culture brought back to the Broadway stage in 2009--a generation after it first premiered.
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I was surprised to see how many people attended the Saturday matinee (and even more surprised to see how many people were my age or older: guess they saw it the it the first time around).  The new production gets the American Idol treatment with bigger voices, higher notes, more complex runs and generally amped-up production values.  The plot is barely sketched in and the characters are little more than stick (some might say schtick) figures but the songs we remember and all the irreverence that made the original so controversial back in the day are still there in spades.  The second act is completely confusing (and much of it is pretty forgettable) and the show ends on an ambiguous (yet equally effective and disturbing) image that gives you a lot to ponder.
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You can't fault the cast for their singing or acting (or their general willingness to "go there").  Everyone has good "rock-anthem" voices and nice lithe bodies for the dancing.  We had seats in the Orchestra section so the cast spent some time in the aisles interacting with the audience.  The costumes hearken back to a bygone day and the 11 piece on-stage band is first rate.  There is a lot of irreverence (the nude scene is preserved although it's not featured nearly as prominently as the original--but maybe that was just because the show was in Orange County).  The set was minimal but effective and the lighting was effective as any rock show.
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Watching the show was a strange, bittersweet experience for me.  (I was almost there back in the day.)  The "Hippie" movement eventually helped end the Viet Nam War and gave rise to Women's Lib and Gay Liberation (good things in my book).  Sadly, their children were the Yuppies (who gave rise to the ultimate in "me"-driven crass consumerism).  It was an odd experience for me to look back on the good--and--bad--times back then.  (The reality is that everything wasn't all "peace/love/joy")  
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Still, if you were "there" in the 60s (and want to remember) or even if, like me, you just wish you were, Hair is a fun trip down memory lane.  Right-Wingers won't like it because of the anti-Establishment message not to mention the "disrespect" to the American Flag but if you can get past that I suggest you catch the show while you can.
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FINAL GRADE: A