‘Hair’s’ bohemian chic is still hip
Monday, July 21st 2008, 4:00 AM
‘Hair’ starts previews Monday night in Central Park.
When “Hair” starts previews Monday in Central Park, it will be a flashback to the 1960s, the decade the rock musical debuted. That era that looks a lot like today: an unpopular war was raging, young people were keyed up about activism, and people let it all hang out — Naked Cowboy-style — to express their freedom.
But in this reincarnation of the seminal show at the Delacorte Theater, some of the biggest things on parade are the costumes. “Hair” costumer Michael McDonald looked to rock stars — Donovan, Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin — for inspiration in putting together the looks for the cast in the groundbreaking musical about youths rebelling against conservative authority and the Vietnam War.
Director Diane Paulus, who also staged the concert version of the show last summer, was a stickler for authenticity, says McDonald: “It’s so easy to make it look like a Halloween party.” No-nos included tie-dyed shirts and elephant bell-bottoms.
“Too ’70s,” he says. He speaks with authority. McDonald researched the era extensively, studying footage of the ’67 Monterey Pop Festival for reference.