(OUTscene NW) Re-view: Artswest's HAIR is by far the Most Daring Production Yet!

photo by Michael Brunk

By MK Scott

As someone who re-viewed the 2010 National Tour of the Revival of HAIR and was enlightened with a whole new re-written show that revealed the Trio of Berger, Sheila,and Claude to be in a Bi-sexual Triangle as well as the Man-crush of Woof for Mick Jagger and quickly to shrug of 'I am NOT Gay' despite his mannerisms and action.

Wow, I was even more mesmerized with the Current production staged by David Gassner for ARTSWEST, this past weekend. This production by far was the Gayest and Best yet.

Berger (played by Jeff Orton, who previously played Gay in The Little Dog Laughed)  was Flamboyant from the moment he appeared on stage.



This revival of the groundbreaking 60's musical follows a group of young idealistic flower children as they strive to promote their views of love and acceptance in the midst of a society struggling with change and war. But beyond the principles they try to convey there is also a more specific struggle of one of the characters, Claude (Mark Tyler Miller), as he decides whether he's strong enough to follow his free spirited friends like the freewheeling Berger and activist Sheila (Sara Porkalob) and burn his draft card, or go by what society and his parents espouse and allow himself to be inducted into the Army to fight in a war he doesn't condone.

One Gay moment featured one of the TRIBE Men, donned a house coat and Pink wig style hat as a Female Passerby to only be revealed as Man in bra and panties underneath! The best moment is at the Last minute of Act one that 3 men and 3 women  stand towards the audience to strip and stand still until it is faded to black.

The Triangle of Berger, Sheila, and Claude was down played with more of a connection between Berger and Claude a s a tragic Bromance/Love story with more intimacy between Berger and Claude then any of them with Sheila combined.

The ending was also different with Claude going off to war and giving his life, instead of Berger trading places so Claude could spend an afternoon with the tribe as portrayed in the film and other versions

At the end, the sadness of the story turns to joy as just like in the Broadway revival, inviting anyone who wants to up on the stage at the end to dance and sing with the Tribe. And by doing this they initiate all of us into the Tribe and that's why it works. You leave the theater with such a warm positive feeling that you cannot possibly have had a bad time.

A real treat for me was seeing former ARTSWEST Artistic Director, Michael Harris, who was in the TRIBE for the original Broadway Production in 1968. Harris thought this production was to the original intention of a world without labels and the freedom to love regardless of Gender.

HAIR continues at ARTSWEST through June 7, go to Artswest.org for more information.