[Mb-hair] !!!!!!!ARGH

[Michael Arian]

   Just some info on "race"in Hair.German productions kept most of the lyrics intact
except for the fact that there was no such racial name-calling in Germany at that
time[early 70's].So the elevator operator-tap dancer-president of Harlem meant very
little to whoever even caught the words.The dialogue was changed to reference American
Indians and Patrice Lamumba and there was a famous cartoon Indian Chief character in
Germany at the time named Winnietoo,so many of the Little Beaver jokes were done in his
name.This worked best in the war/strobe sequence.They imported black actors from England
and the US.
   The Italian show had the same problem about getting blacks in their show.They mostly
used very tanned white folks.I was asked to join the show as a black actor.Good that I
didn't as they closed after the opening night.
   Yugoslavia had only the whitest of people and I think no racial references at all.They
mostly did the political parts of the show and very little singing.          
   The Dutch show had no problem as they had the Surinam people to kick around.
   England was the funniest as their black actors-when I saw it-were the lightest color
you ever saw and had the fakiest accents.XOXOX Michael

Michael David Arian 
michaeldavidarian at yahoo.com
"If you can't say something nice about someone, sit by me."




__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around 
http://mail.yahoo.com