Hair In The 1960's

Though there were many more shows being released in the early 1960’s, one particular performance that truly stands out in the decade is Broadway’s production Hair. In the late 1960’s, the nation was filled with unrest. American soldiers were being drafted for the Vietnam War, and there were countless protests against this action. In addition to this, more people began protesting for women’s rights and racial equality, as more generations were becoming more culturally and socially aware. These developments in American culture and society are all part of the reason why Hair became such a success. Hair was a production that younger generations could relate to; it was fresh, new, and highly influenced by the current events and issues facing Americans.

This performance featured many scandalous depictions of the modern culture, including nude scenes and drug use (Henderson, 10-12). Though these factors may have kept some audiences away, it certainly did not stop the performance from winning awards! In 1969, Hair was nominated as Best Musical and Best Directed for the Tony awards (Henderson 15).
In the 1970’s, it was a time of change in America. Continuing from the 1960’s, more and more people were making a stand for equality. People were fighting for a variety of topics, ranging from women’s rights, racial equality, or the fight for LGBT rights, it was clear that Americans wanted a change.
In American theatre, there was much change indeed. The performances that were released within this decade had a large variety, from the brighter yet relatable musical Grease, to shows with much darker tones, such as the musical Sweeny Todd, Demon Barber of Fleet Street. A performance that is still incredibly popular in the modern day, and that reflects some of the themes of American society at the time, is the Musical

However, upon realizing that the man she was having an affair with lied to her, she ends up in jail on a murder charge. The performance goes through her experiences in prison, and the way she conned, performed, and enchanted her way back to freedom and into the spotlight. Some say that Chicago has a strong feminist message, and this is an easily understandable claim. Women are being depicted as strong, self-sufficient, and willing to do what it takes to get forward in life (Waters, 2-3). Within this performance, would be hard-pressed to find a wife in the older, “traditional” role that women would have been in during earlier decades. Although the story of a woman lying, murdering and conning her way to the top may not be the best choice for a female role model, it is hard to deny that this show gives women a stronger sense of empowerment than an earlier production might