“Hair,” the Musical
“Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical” made its controversial debut on Broadway in April 1968. Compared to other Broadway musicals of the time, “Hair” definitely went against the grain. It told the story of a group of hippie draft-dodgers and touched on all of the pieces of the 1960s counterculture. What was so interesting about the musical was that the lyrics didn’t rhyme and the songs didn’t really have an ending, they just slowed down.
Martia Hunt and the cast of the musical “Hair” rehearsing in 1968. Photo by Phillip Jackson / Daily Mail / Shutterstock
This style was very different from what Broadway was used to, leaving the audience confused and not knowing when to applaud. Even with all of the controversy surrounding the production, “Hair” was still a smash hit. It ran for over 1,750 performances before the musical came to a close in 1972.