Danbury Director Revives the Spirit of the Sixties at Sherman Playhouse

It's the last few weekends to let your "Hair" down and take a trip back to the days of Flower Power, Psychedelic Tripping, Peace, Love and Burned Draft Cards.

The sixties are back and in full effect at the Sherman Playhouse as they present Hair: the American Tribal Love-Rock Musical.

Celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, the musical, which made its world premiere in 1967, celebrates the sixties counterculture in all its glory. Plus, add to it an energetic rock beat and a soundtrack that produced such hits as "Aquarius/Let The Sun Shine", "Good Morning Starshine", and "Hair".

Skillfully directed by Danbury's own Francis A. Daley, the play takes its audience back to a time of peace, love, rebellion, and revolt.

I've known Francis for many years, and he's no stranger to the theater. He returns this summer to the Sherman Playhouse, where he's already directed play's like The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Run For Your Wife, See How They Run, and Woody Guthrie's American Song. He was also in the director's chair for the highly acclaimed production of Jesus Christ Superstar at Theater Works in New Milford.

When I talked to Francis about this current production of Hair, he told me for this play they were working off the revised 1995 script:

We wanted to take the play back to its roots, so we took that script and tried to instill in the cast the spirit of the original off Broadway show from 1967, and the response has been wonderful. We're playing to nearly full houses and standing ovations during every performance.

I also asked him about the challenges of working with a young cast, most of whom were born some 30 years after the 60s ended, and he told me that was one of his biggest concerns about directing this play:

The hardest part of directing this production was getting the cast to understand the feel and mood of the time. I had to instill the attitude of the 60s in each one of them, and for the guys, get them to be able to understand the ominous feel of the draft, which for most of us who lived through it thought about Vietnam every single day.

Speaking of the cast, it's led by Joseph Devellis and Shea Coughlin. The production also stars Santiago DeGante, Alyssa Serrambana, Jerusha Wright, Gabriela Jimenez, Austin Wayne, Maya Daley, Lexic Barradaz, Jessica Gleeson, Michelle Wetherbee and Alex Gleason.

We're very proud of what we've accomplished with this very talented cast and great band.

You can catch Hair for the next two weekends at the Sherman Playhouse located at 5 Route 39 North, in Sherman, Connecticut. Showtimes are Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 8 PM, and Sunday Matinee's at 2 PM. There will also be a special Saturday Matinee added on July 29th at 2 PM.

So "let the sun shine into your life", you're about to enter the "Age of Aquarius" with this highly acclaimed production of Hair. Don't miss it.

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