Good Morning Starshine

On this day in 1968 HAIR: The American Tribal Love Rock Musical opened on Broadway at the Biltmore Theatre and would forever change the course of my life.  Of course I wouldn’t be born for 22 so it would be awhile before I realized the importance of this date.

The 2009 Tony Awards is the event that really put this transformation of my life into motion.  For as long as I can remember my mom, my sisters and I have watched The Tony Awards together and this year was no exception.  When the revival cast of HAIR took the stage I was enthralled.  Something about this performance just grabbed a hold of my heart and I was hooked.  I looked at Kellan and told her that when we went to New York in January we had to see this show.  Seven months later that statement became a reality and my life would never be the same again. 

It wasn’t until much later that I would realize how much this show had changed my life.  From the small fact that I now have a much greater appreciation for peace signs and hippies.  Or that I try, usually unsuccessfully, to be more peaceful in my own life.  To be more understanding towards people, hold less grudges, all of the good things a hippie should do.  However, old habits are hard to break and it is still a struggle to do these things. 

The biggest change though is my love of Broadway.  As seen through my yearly views of the Tony Awards with my mom and sisters, I have always loved theatre.  Anytime I get to go and see a show, especially a musical, I am one happy girl.  However, after seeing HAIR this love was increased infinitely.  It opened the door for me to have a passion, something that I care about and can focus my attention on.  Besides schoolwork and a job which can be boring and mundane.  It allowed for me to have a creative outlet and the ability to fall in love with something.

I can’t pinpoint exactly what it is that made HAIR the show that changed my life.  Maybe it was the fact that it was the first show I ever saw on Broadway, a lifelong dream of mine. That I already knew some of the songs since they had become popular on their own. Or that the storyline is so powerful causing it to be the first show that truly touched my heart.  All I know is that each time I listen to the soundtrack I am transported back to the Al Hirchsfeld theatre, watching the storyline unfold for the first time, and I am overcome by pure joy.  To this day 'Let The Sunshine' is one of the only songs that can bring tears to my eyes every time I listen to it.  It is the only show that I have ever seen that caused me to cry more the second time I saw it then the first.  Partially because I was so full of joy by being able to see it again, and partially because I knew what was going to happen at the end. (I bawled like a baby for at least the last fifteen minutes of the show. Big fat, ugly tears).  Something about it simply changed my life and it means so much to me.

It is hard for me to put into words how much HAIR means to me.  I can never find the right words to say, words that accurately portray its importance to me and to my life.  This post doesn’t even come close to doing it justice, it barely scratches the surface.  I simply wanted to do something special to recognize its importance to me on its 44th anniversary.

Happy Anniversary HAIR, you changed my life.