Let the Sun Shine In

There have been a few times since I’ve lived in New York where I have had an experience that has felt larger than myself. Where I thought, “I was a part of that.” I went to the 40th Anniversary concert of HAIR in Central Park tonight and it was …spectacular. I can’t pinpoint exactly what it was and maybe upon further reflection I will have a better description or perspective, but it almost seemed like a wake-up call. It was a goosebumps, eyes-welled, dance-in-your-seat experience that I don’t think I will forget for a long time.


The audience was absorbed from the opening notes and I spotted a couple of people having eyes-closed, head-swinging experiences to the music. …And it isn’t surprising…the cast was unbelievable. They were young and vibrant and incredibly engaging. I found it difficult to take my eyes off of Will Seward and Jon Groff (as Berger and Claude)—I found myself looking for them on stage if they weren’t the lead singers. They both had an intensity and an earnestness that was captivating.

Anyway, prior to tonight my experience with HAIR was somewhat limited. I was aware of the history of the show, I knew a few songs (thank you Marie’s Crisis), but honestly, my knowledge comes mainly from Head of the Class when they put it on as the school musical and the end of 40-Year-Old Virgin. I was caught completely unaware by the anger that was always near the surface and I had no idea that by the time Sheila and the Tribe hit the beginning notes of “Let the Sun Shine In” –the climax of their begging the world to stop the war—I would nearly be in tears. It was a moment where the hair was standing up on my arms, there were tears in the eyes of the cast, and people around me stood up and began dancing. Unbelievable.

And it makes me think…about my place in the world and my worry for my generation. Are we doing enough? In 1967 the United States was in upheaval from race relations, war, a disassociation between parents and youth and where are we today? The issues seem eerily similar, but our actions or inaction seem radically different. Is it that action would require too much involvement, too much effort? That’s how it seems. The other night Stephen Colbert’s word was “solitarity”—he was joking about how today’s youth* wait for things to happen, be posted on YouTube and then take action by writing on their blogs (touché). What happened to marching in the streets? Is it too hard? I don’t have an answer and I know I fall into the complacent category quite often—but what is the first step?

In 1967, the end of Vietnam was still seven years away. When is the end for us in 2007?


*Okay, so maybe I’m nearing 30….but I am considering myself “youth”. Some days it is still hard for me to think that I am no longer eighteen.