Gavin Creel, don't read this blog post.

Gavin, who stars as Claude in the Broadway revival of HAIR, has made it publicly known that he does not read reviews, not even his mother's. So I wanted to make sure he knows that he should not read this blog post, because it is one giant (albeit glowing) review. ;)

As you regular readers are aware, I was more than excited to be attending the Opening Night performance of HAIR on Broadway tonight. The experience was incredible, and I attempted to put it down into coherent thoughts about the show. I realize most of the people reading this probably haven't seen it, so I want to warn you that there are spoilers in this review, but nothing that would spoil your experience seeing the show if you get the chance after reading it. It's also insanely long, so I don't blame you for not reading it if you're not all that interested. I mostly posted it for myself. So here goes:

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Nothing interesting/exciting happened at the red carpet or leading up to the show’s start, so I’ll skip right to the moment when the house lights dim and the audience roared. You could feel the loVe in the Hirsch for sure. I was sitting way back at the tippy top, and had a beautiful panoramic view of the stage, which I think was perfect for opening night, just to take in the whole show and the entire experience.

I knew I’d be a sobbing mess by the end of tonight, but I did not expect to tears to start streaming down my face during Aquarius. You know that line in Chicago about the audience loving Roxy and she loves the audience and they love her for loving them and they all just love each other? Picture that, only as a “transcendental meditation on the ocean of reality,” as Berger would say.

In his scene, there were a lot of extra pauses and playful asides to the audience. Instead of just BananaBerger and KarmaBerger and UnzipperBerger, we also had BigFuckinNightBerger. And he commented on how dressed up everyone was. The man he asked for spare change gave him some flowers instead, which he stuffed into his “purse” and continued to sing Donna.

The beginning introductions were definitely milked for the highly responsive audiences, who were also prone to shouting back things like, “We love you too” to Woof. “Ain’t Got No” is the first big audience interaction number, and everyone was definitely into it. Well, except a pair of people over near me, who wouldn’t clap along. Gavin literally took the guy’s hands and clapped them together to get him to join in. There was a glitch in this song (I think) with Sasha’s mic not being on right at the start of her solo, but she’s Sasha Fierce and worked it. I could barely tell she was unmiced from the last row at first.

I don’t plan to do a song-by-song review, because quite honestly I got to a point where I forgot they were singing songs in the score. I was just engrossed in the experience of what was going on on that stage, or rather, in that theatre. I started the evening having decided to watch people who weren’t the focus of the scene during each part, to catch all the wonderful little characterizations and bits they added, but now that I’m looking back, I can’t remember what they were or where they went because I was so sucked in. I was definitely drinking the Kool-Aid tonight, you guys.

So, “I Got Life” is my favorite song, and I always get so excited with anticipation during that dialogue between Claude and his parents leading up to it. Then when he finally breaks into song with that first line, I’m always the girl who whoops right in the pause after “mother.” And it appears plenty of other people love it too, because I was not the only one whooping tonight (which made me happy because I always feel a little awkward when it’s just me). The moment when the Tribe and Claude are jumping up and down singing “Life, life life life” is so exuberant, you can’t help but feel happy about your own life. And Gavin KILLS on the “A-men.” I can’t wait for the album now, just so I can hear him wail on that without the cheers of the audience drowning it out a bit.

For you Theo fans, he was extra hilarious tonight – he did something different as the principal than I’ve heard, but I can’t remember exactly what the nonsense words he used were. Something to do with a Weinershnitzl. And as Hubert, I kept watching him do all these little hilarious things I’d yet to notice, like his goofy clapping along while the haggle of hippa sang “Hair.” And speaking of Hubert, I must mention the wonderful Andrew Kober as Margaret Meade, because he works it out. That’s all I can say because it pretty much goes without saying. This is another moment I was crying, but this time from laughter.

Now, the best thing about sitting in the back of the theatre is Hare Krishna. I had made a decision to watch Gavin during this scene because I wanted to take note of what had been described as superb acting as he struggles with his decision. So, I was surprised when I couldn’t find him in the mix of people dancing around. Then I look to my right and see him walking down from the top of the mezzanine. I can’t adequately describe how moving his performance was throughout that entire song. He truly was trying to convince himself that beads, love, freedom, and happiness were enough and that he would join his friends and burn his draft card. So that made “Where Do I Go” even more heartbreaking.

I always cry from the moment he sings “where”, but tonight I set a new record for myself, with tears streaming down my face from the moment the music changed leading into the song. That song/scene was simply stirring – tonight was the first night I felt the impetus for why the Tribe strips off their clothes. And of course, I was still crying at intermission.

To be quite honest, the second act feels like a blur. That’s when I really started forgetting that I was watching HAIR, and felt more like I was there at the Be-In, experiencing things with the Tribe. I’m still amazed at how they made that connection even with an audience member in the very last row.

I will specifically mention a couple of songs though:
First, Walking In Space, because it’s my 2nd favorite song in the show, and a review wouldn’t be complete without it. So really, this is just a shoutout to the song because I love it. Also, Three-Five-Zero-Zero, because I once again lost it during this song. The image of them standing across the front of the stage, pleading in their characters’ different ways for their message to be heard, was something so heartwrenching. And then it leads into “What a Piece of Work Is Man,” and there was no turning back for me as far as crying went. That’s the moment when Claude becomes cynical about the life that he’s got, and that might be the most heartwrenching moment of all. Yep, tearing up just thinking about it again.

From that moment out it was tears and fantastic singing. Gavin’s Flesh Failures never fails to impress, and the quartet of ladies singing the beginning of Let the Sunshine In is so fierce. Everyone was crying to some degree as their voices faded out, whether it be shaking in silent sobs (guilty) or soft sniffles.

I think the people next to me thought I was extremely rude for squeezing to the end of the row during curtain calls, but I didn’t care. I had to be on that stage dancing at the end of this fantastic opening night. Right as I came up onto the stage, Nicole gave me a big hug and we danced together for a little while, then I danced with Jay for a bit. But mostly I just held my hands up in the air and closed my eyes and basked in the amazing moment. There was so much joy on that stage, with people lingering far after the music ended. I was quite reluctant to leave and head home, but I did with joy because I knew that something as beautiful as HAIR was on Broadway and that I will be able to come back and experience that again.

Thought it probably won’t ever be quite the same as it felt for opening night.