Preview
Identifier
Revue Program_Page_26
Creation Date
4-23-2021
Disciplines
Arts and Humanities | Theatre and Performance Studies
Description
DRAMATURGY - “AQUARIUS”
“Aquarius” was written in 1967 by Galt MacDermot for the musical HAIR with lyrics by Gerome Ragini and James Rado, HAIR is considered one of the first rock musicals. Songs from the soundtrack became pop radio hits, specifically, the 1969 cover of “Aquarius” by The 5th Dimension. There was also a movie version of HAIR released in 1979 starring John Savage, Treat Williams, and Beverly D’Angelo.
HAIR focuses heavily on the creators’ ideas of “hippie subculture” and their stances on social and political issues such as sexuality/sexual liberation, racism, and the anti-war movement during the time of Vietnam. During the research period, the creators of the musical encountered real life members of the hippie culture who later became cast members in the original Broadway production.
HAIR follows a group of hippies called The Tribe and their fight to “stick it to the man” when it comes to the draft of the Vietnam war, the sexual revolution, and their parents/conservative America. This musical explores how a group of individuals can come together and live a peaceful life while firmly standing up for what they believe in.
“Aquarius” is the first song in the musical. It is typically sung by the character Dionne. The song sets the mood for the rest of the show, introducing the audience to the Tribe and its members. The Tribe uses this song to celebrate the new Age of Aquarius and how they are “children” of this age. In the lyrics, “Aquarius” describes how placements of the planets and the moon will bring the Earth into an Age of Aquarius, which is characterized by humanitarianism, electricity, and innovation. This age of “Aquarius” is incredibly community-based and has a lot to do with simply being there for each other and thriving as a team.
Interesting fact, astrologers believe that in 2021, the Earth will enter Aquarius. Therefore, we are currently living in our own Age of Aquarius.
Publisher
Arkansas State University
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Theatre Program
Keywords
musical, compliation, retrospective, medley
