[Mb-hair] A Few Questions

[Little Birdie]

Hi Joe, and welcome to the Hair list.

It would be hard to do a production of Hair without at least a small amount 
of racial diversity in the cast. I have seen many productions that had only 
a few people of color in the Tribe, and seen that work, although the 
strongest productions are often those with a larger mix. There are songs and 
lines in Hair that reference racial equality, and this is one of Hair's 
messages. Even such simple lines as in Claude's hallucination when a black 
man and a white man take each others arms and say "Black and white go nice 
together, don't they?" would have to be cut or changed. Not to mention the 
song Colored Spade.

Certain roles, and the songs those characters sing, are written specifically 
to be played by African American actors and actresses, while others are not 
specified. I have seen success with gender switching in the role of Hud. 
Delores Hall understudied that role on Broadway, and was good when she 
played it. Hud isn't necessarily a man, but he is most definitely black. 
Your problem is not an uncommon one, sadly, and I believe some companies 
have tried casting this role with a caucasian actor. I would have a hard 
time thinking that could work, but perhaps others here who have struggled 
with this situation can tell you more about it than I can, never having seen 
it done.

There are other ways to fill in your company - perhaps you could open 
auditions to faculty and staff? To people outside the school community 
because of these special circumstances? I would strongly encourage you to 
try and find some ethnic diversity if you are mounting a production of Hair.

I am not sure what you are asking in your last paragraph, when you speak of 
vocal or gender switching. Do you mean to solve this problem, or in the show 
in general?

Nina
The Hair Archives
http://www.michaelbutler.com/hair/holding/Hair.html