{"id":493,"date":"2022-02-22T21:18:38","date_gmt":"2022-02-22T21:18:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/theatrehound.net\/?p=493"},"modified":"2022-02-22T21:18:38","modified_gmt":"2022-02-22T21:18:38","slug":"hair-at-6th-street-playhouse-the-beginning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theatrehound.net\/?p=493","title":{"rendered":"\u2018HAIR\u2019 at 6th Street Playhouse \u2013 The Beginning"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Gillian Eichenberger (Sheila), Ezra Hernandez (Berger), Jourd\u00e1n Olivier-Verd\u00e9 (Hud), and Jamin Jollo (Claude). Photo by Eric Chazankin<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Many productions of HAIR have been mounted since 1968, but this production is the best this reviewer has seen.  The actors are rough, the stage is simple, the band is WOW and the play flows into the magic of Aquarius. Three generations in the house agreed that this play rocks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Only the most fastidious viewer could be disappointed in this complete epic\nof our rock history.  Not a song missed\nmaking a statement of the age, when it was generally agreed that the rock was\nborn under a star-blessed sky.  The\nnewness and essential life of this musical reflects the time when sex was\nappreciated and gender was blurred. \nDrugs were accepted in many places and the Viet Nam war was raging as a\ncurse over the land.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Nicole Ward MacDonald (Linda) , Jourd\u00e1n Olivier-Verd\u00e9 (Hud), David Lee Hall (Paul), Serena Elize Flores (Dionne). Photo by Eric Chazankin.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Aja Gianola-Norris directs a wonderful collage of sights and song that fully\nfit the immensity of the times.  Nothing\nis spared the full treatment, as much as possible for the stage, and the\ninteractions of the actors bring the songs to life.  Gianola-Norris turns up the shock factor in\nthis production to high, not missing any of the opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Burger (played by Ezra Hernandez) takes the lead quickly with his rendition of \u201cDonna.\u201d Hernandez is the larger than life brute force leader of the \u201cTribe,\u201d taking the cast and audience on a wild ride through the streets of New York City.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Claude (played by Jamin Jollo) becomes the conscience of the \u201cTribe\u201d and the\nanti-war movement during the production. \nNot knowing what to do with his draft card and A1 status evolves into a\ndriving force in the play.  Jollo carries\nhis indecision and pain visibly on his shoulders, giving the play its true focus\nin the second act.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Theo Olson (Crissy), Alanna Weatherby (Jeanie), Gillian Eichenberger (Sheila). Photo by Eric Chazankin.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Shiela (played by Gillian Eichenberger) is indeed the darling of the \u201cTribe.\u201d Her rendition of \u201cI Believe in Love\u201d was sparkling while her \u201cEasy to be Hard\u201d was sweet and sad. Eichenberger sings it all in her sweetheart role of the story, emotional and memorable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lucas Sherman is a well-known name in our theatre scene for good reason.  As the music director, Sherman brings out the best of his band on every number.  From Rock to Blues, the songs carry the actors without being overbearing.  The pit is behind the stage to complement the entire story; it is fascinating to watch Sherman\u2019s focus and energy with his musicians while the story evolves.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Ezra Hernandez – as Berger. Photo by Eric Chazankin.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The choreography of Rachel Wynne does not miss to tie the songs together in\na flowing story with few breaks.  The\ndances come together smoothly to surprise us with the seemingly random movement\nof the story. The many costumes of Mae Heagerty Matos are beautiful and\nconsistent with the action on stage.  These\nperiod costumes add to the timelessness of the story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The set design by Sam Transleau is simple, while facilitating the constant\nmotion in the play.  It is not the NY street\nscene of \u201cWest Side Story,\u201d but it is a huge Zodiac that a 1960\u2019s performance\nwould be happy with.  We are immersed in\nthe age of Aquarius through this elegant set design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 6th<\/sup> Street Playhouse has taken the leap back into a post-Covid world.  This large scale musical production comes on strong with hope for new life.  It\u2019s brash and rough, honest and loud, forceful and sweet.  It\u2019s exactly what our world needs to jump full force into 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Jamin Jollo (Claude) and company. Photo by Eric Chazankin.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

This was the last successful work for writers Gerome Ragni and James Rado.  it was a tough sell to move beyond this success.  Galt MacDrermot\u2019s music spanned the rock and blues spectrum with shooting stars that we fondly remember even now as a new beginning.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 6th<\/sup> Street Playhouse cast and crew and house are fully vaccinated for COVID-19. Masks are required for all audience. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“HAIR” continues at 6th<\/sup> Street Playhouse at 52 W. 6th<\/sup>\nStreet, Santa Rosa, through March 6, 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For further information and reservations: https:\/\/6thstreetplayhouse.com\/<\/a>  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rating: ****<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“HAIR,” by Gerome Ragni & James Rado,  Music by Galt MacDermot, produced by 6th<\/sup> Street Playhouse.  Director: Aja Gianola-Norris, Music Director: Lucas Sherman, Choreographer: Rachel Wynne, Set Designer: Sam Transleau, Light Designer: Carrie Mullen, Sound Design: Ben Roots, Costume Designer: Mae Heagerly Matos, Stage Manager: Christine Vondralee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cast: Ezra Hernandez as Berger<\/em><\/strong>, Gillian Eichenberger as Sheila<\/em><\/strong>,\nJamin Jollo as Claude<\/em><\/strong>, Serena Elize Flores as Dionne,<\/em><\/strong> Noah Sternhill as\nWool\/Margaret\nMead<\/em><\/strong>, Alanna Weatherby as Jeanie,<\/em><\/strong> Jourdan Olivier-Verdi as Hud<\/em><\/strong>,\nTheo Olson as Crissy\/Berger\u2019s Understudy<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ensemble: David Lee Hall as Paul<\/em><\/strong>, Keene Hudson as Walter\/Hud\u2019s\nUnderstudy<\/em><\/strong>, Lindsay John as Emmeretta<\/em><\/strong>, Tyehimba Kokayi as Ronnie,<\/em><\/strong>\nNicole Ward MacDonald as Linda<\/em><\/strong>, Peri Zoe Yildirim-Stanley as Susannah\/Dance\nCaptain,<\/em><\/strong> Lynnea Mackey as Marjorie<\/em><\/strong>, Anne Clark as Sheila\u2019s\nUnderstudy<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Band: Lucas Sherman on Keyboard\/Conductor<\/em><\/strong>, Trevor Acebo on Reeds<\/em><\/strong>,\nKelley Hunt on Trumpet<\/em><\/strong>, Marc Rudlin on Trombone,<\/em><\/strong> Abe Newman on Guitars<\/em><\/strong>,\nSkyler Stover on Bass,<\/em><\/strong> Grant Bramham on Drums<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Many productions of HAIR have been mounted since 1968, but this production is the best this reviewer has seen.  The…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":499,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-493","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-5","wpcat-5-id"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/theatrehound.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/493","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/theatrehound.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/theatrehound.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theatrehound.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theatrehound.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=493"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/theatrehound.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/493\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":502,"href":"https:\/\/theatrehound.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/493\/revisions\/502"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theatrehound.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/499"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/theatrehound.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=493"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theatrehound.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=493"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theatrehound.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=493"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}