Entertainment

<< Previous   of   Next >> (click to enlarge) "Hair" is playing at the Historic Everett Theatre through Oct. 28.   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Melanie Munk, Features Editor munk@heraldnet.com   Published: Friday, October 12, 2007 'Hair' is nostalgic, but it still hits its marks By Theresa Goffredo Herald Writer Everett is rockin' with peace, love and understanding. Be there. Don't be square. Be part of the scene, man. On its 40th anniversary, the rock musical "Hair" is making a revival at historic Everett Theatre and it is far out. The classic tunes make you want to bounce in your seat. The love power of the cast is infectious. The funny stuff is quite funny; the dramatic moments hit the mark. "Hair" is pure nostalgia for those who lived it. It's an eye-opening visit for the rest of us who missed both the 1960s movement and this theatrical phenomenon that stretched the boundaries of free speech when it opened in 1967. People, don't miss it this time. "Hair" will run weekends through Oct. 28. And when you go, be aware there's no real curtain call at the end. So when "Let the Sun Shine In" starts up, sing along as loud as you can. Dance in the aisles. Put your hands together and applaud the cast and the management team of the New Everett Theatre for this four-star hit. "Hair" is about freedom and peace. It focuses on a politically active group of hippies, "the tribe," who live in the East Village of New York. The tribe bands together in protest of the Vietnam War. Draft notices are burnt. But one among them does choose to fight. The others must learn to let him go. Making "Hair" has got to be a challenge for even the most veteran of theater teams. There's no real plot, just themes strung together in vignettes that flow one into the other with song. Lots of song. The original Broadway production had an unheard-of number of 33 songs. So the first bravo for this production goes to music director Gary Hatle, who made each number count and whose masterful work on the keyboards paid tribute to these classics such as "Good Morning, Starshine," "Aquarius" and "Easy to be Hard." And the fact that Hatle made musical magic this time is all the more remarkable because this cast, just about every one of them, has never been part of a full-stage production before. In fact, Hatle plucked David Linton, who did a perfectly delightful job of playing Hud, off a corner while the two were waiting to cross a street. The newcomers aside, let's talk about Claude, a central figure and the tribal member who chooses to go to Vietnam. Isaiah Nielson, who was in New Everett's production of "Angry Housewives," worked overtime playing Claude and his efforts were top notch. He pulled off a believable English accent. He was funny. His emotions were real as he battled with some tough decisions. And he bravely took his pants off while singing a solo. (By the way, the nude scene at the end of Act I was beautifully discreet and made sense for the cast to appear so vulnerable for the number "Where Do I Go?"). Not to make a pun, but Nielson along with the rest of this troupe seemed truly natural on stage. Other standouts were William Shindler, who let it all hang out as the free-spirit Berger; Ben Cournoyer was hilarious as bisexual Woof and his scene confessing his love for Mick Jagger ("not that I'm homosexual") was a gas. The stunning Lillian Afful as Dionne was equally entertaining as Abe Lincoln as she was singing the song "White Boys," wearing a blond wig; Megan Fenlin gave her gorgeous lungs a workout as Chrissy when she sang "Frank Mills," and Sheila was played earnestly and sincerely by Erin Hemenway. This newbie cast all came together under the direction of David Blacker, who certainly let his passion for the messages of "Hair" be heard loud and clear without overshadowing another message he must have surely told the cast: to have fun. The cast did just that, making us feel right at home as part of their tribal love-in. The set, designed by artistic director Victoria Walker, was the perfect hippie hangout, constructed in bare plywood adorned with strips of fabric made to look like beaded curtains. The incense flowed. The hippies protested. Another man-child went off to war. Peace out. Reporter Theresa Goffredo: 425-339-3424 or goffredo@heraldnet.com. Review "Hair": Shows at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday through Oct. 28 at historic Everett Theatre, 2911 Colby Ave., Everett. $30, $25 senior/student/military and $10 for youth 10 and under, 425-258-6766, www.everetttheatre.org.

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