Love steers the stars in 'Hair' at Straz

More than 40 years after "Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical" premiered on Broadway, the first national tour of said show sprung to life. It seemed a longtime coming, but was it worth the effort? How many love beads, hairballs, and psychedelic free-for-alls can a person stand? And how long does the Age of Aquarius last? I've got things to do.

The production of "Hair" running at the David A. Straz Jr. Center for the Performing Arts far exceeded expectations.

Director Diane Paulus and the phenomenal cast sucked the marrow out of Gerome Ragni and James Rado's 1967 brain/love child. More than a tired advertisement for peace, understanding and freaky head trips, this "Hair" proved the validity of those pleas with humor, compassion and an enormous amount of energy.

It's 1967, and you can't light a joint without catching someone's hair on fire. Among the hippies, Berger (Nicholas Belton, standing in for Steel Burkhardt) is the ultimate wild child. He defies authority and eventually gets kicked out of school, rendering him eligible for the draft. He has no intention of fighting in Vietnam, and he'll do what it takes to buck the system.

Claude (Paris Remillard), on the other hand, has already received his notice. He is torn between freedom and obligation.

Then there's Woof (Matt DeAngelis), who's all about free love and Mick Jagger; Sheila (Caren Lyn Tackett), Berger's girlfriend; Hud (Darius Nichols), who notes the irony of the black man's emancipation and his call to arms 100 years later; Dionne (Phyre Hawkins); Jeanie (Kacie Sheik); Crissy (Kaitlin Kiyan) and the rest of the Tribe.

Ideals clash with reality when Claude goes to war and doesn't come back.

Opening night at the Straz was like a Woodstock reunion. Theatergoers showed their allegiance to "Hair" and the '60s by wearing tie-dye and well-worn Birkenstocks. Since performers thrive on the audience's vibe, this cast was very much alive.

Belton was wonderfully funny, cocky and uninhibited. After taking off his pants and wearing only a fringed leather belt he invaded the personal space of a man in the front row.

Sweet, loving, fur-clad DeAngelis conjured images of Gentle Ben and Sonny Bono, while Josh Lamon scored one of the most delightful performances of the night. When not part of the Tribe or playing Claude's uptight dad, he became newlywed and covert tranny, Margaret Mead. Any day now he could replace Benny Hill.

These talented actors clambered over people and seats, and thoroughly engaged the audience. The fun, however, did not diminish the seriousness of war. And at the end, when tears were most likely to flow, the cast recovered the earlier mood with a spirited, uplifting rendition of "Let the Sun Shine In."