Thespians to perform Hair

Theatre students are getting ready to let their HAIR down.

The Penn State Thespians will perform HAIR at 8 p.m. today, as well as 2 and 8 p.m. tomorrow, in Schwab Auditorium. Tickets cost $7 for students and $9 for non-students. They are available at the Thespian box office in the HUB, at the Eisenhower box office and at the door.

Chrystyna Dail will direct the show, a musical expression of peace and freedom.

HAIR ran on Broadway between 1968 and 1972. The show prompted much public controversy and a few court battles due to some of the show's material and the fact that portions are performed in the nude.

- Jonathan Flom plays Claude in Hair

The cast combines great dancing with strong vocals and a lot of personality.

As cast members rehearsed on their graffiti-covered set, they were confident of the show.

"I think it's gonna go great," said Thom Woodley (sophomore-theatre arts), who plays the character Woof. "It was written 30 years ago, but so much of it applies today."

Jonathan Flom (sophomore-music theatre), who plays Claude, said he felt the show will have an impact on its audience.

"The cast and nature of the show will set it apart -- it will change thespians and people who come to see it," Flom said. "Nothing compares to HAIR."

Although Flom has done past performances with University Resident Theatre Company, he said this is his first Thespians show.

"It's a different atmosphere -- it's all done by students, so I have more respect for it," Flom said.

The Penn State Thespians is celebrating its 100-year anniversary, making it one of the oldest student-run organizations on campus, said Kat West (senior-theatre arts), who plays a tribe member and Claude's mother.

Although it has two faculty advisers, Thespians is student-run, from the lights to the costumes, West said.

"This is the most diverse cast, but they've been the best to work with so far," she said.

Cast members said they enjoyed the working atmosphere the show provided.

"This was by far the most fun," said Andy Kindig (junior-mechanical engineering), who portrays two characters in the show.

Kindig -- who described the show's modern score as similar to "music you hear every day" -- said he had not seen any version of the musical before he joined the cast.

"I'd never seen it, but I wanted to try it," he said. "It's a really good show to be involved in."