Right this Minute

Cal State East Bay (formerly Hayward) is doing two summer productions - both seemingly altered to a PG-13 rating. Much Ado About Nothing plays this weekend and next, and then my beloved Hair begins on August 10. I have something of an obsession with Hair. Lest you question my complete devotion to this play, I offer the following as evidence: I have albums (yes-albums) from the Broadway theatre production and the movie (some say this version is heresy - I say there can never be too much Hair, even if the movie storyline does stray from the original - and this was my first introduction to the delectable Treat Williams). I also own the album from the true original New York Shakespeare Festival Public Theater production, and the album produced as "Divine Hair - Mass in F", which is the Broadway cast of Hair celebrating the third anniversary of the production by singing appropriate selections from the play, as well as the Solemn Eucharist in the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine in New York City along with the choirs of St. Martin's, Manhattan and St. Mary's, Staten Island, and of course, the Choir of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. Oh, and I musn't forget Hair: Performed by the Original French Cast in - yes, of course - french. And finally, "DisinHAIRited" which is a collection of songs written by the original trio of Jim Rado, Jerry Ragni and Galt MacDermot that "was meant to be an extension, an amplification and a continuation of "Hair." It features members from various past and present tribes in songs that were first written or projected for either the original New York Shakespeare Festival production or for Broadway, as well as songs written specifically for the album. The defense rests.