The Student Musical Theater (SMT) is an organization dedicated to producing quality, student-run musicals for the Carleton community. This term’s production of the well-known musical, Hair, will take place in the Weitz Theater, which is an exciting new step for the members of SMT, according to the musical’s co-director, Ellie Durling (2017). Past SMT productions have consistently been held in the Little Nourse Theater, but Durling believes that the spacial freedom found in the larger Weitz Theater will help turn the production into a full theatrical experience for both the audience and the actors. Hair is scheduled to premiere at the Weitz Center for Creativity during 9th week of winter term.
Hair was finished in 1967 and debuted on Broadway the following year. Since its release, Hair has come to represent the height of the American sexual revolution and anti-Vietnam war protests. Many of the musical’s songs became anthems for peace rallies following the musical’s release. Hair is also notable for founding the genre of “rock-musical”, which was a novel concept in the 1960s and continues to entertain audiences of today. SMT recognizes that the lyrics and plot of Hair address controversial perspectives on racial identity and gender roles. Director Kristen Nassar (2016) and Ellie Durling have carefully adjusted some of the lyrics to remove highly problematic phrases and assure that the production is appropriate for the entire community of Northfield.
According to Durling, one of the main goals of SMT is to encourage a sense of inclusion and community among the cast, which they hope to achieve by focusing on cultivating the individual talents of each cast member. The directors are dedicated to supporting students who are new to theater and advanced actors alike. The large stage in the Weitz Theater provides plenty of space for actors and actresses, so the entire cast can have a chance to be prominently featured on stage. Additionally, nearly every singer in the cast has a special solo.