Welcome to the Sixties!

Although the song, Welcome to the Sixties, is from the Broadway musical Hairspray that opened on the Great White Way in 2002, it takes place in 1962 Baltimore, Maryland. Hairspray is a social commentary on the injustices of parts of American society in the 1960s.

Join Host Robert Hammond as he goes ape highlighting musicals from the sixties on this week's Stage Notes. Ironically, the decade's first and most enduring hit production was born Off-Broadway, The Fantasticks; however, many standard musicals were born in the sixties, including Bye, Bye, Birdie; Fiddler on the Roof; Hello, Dolly; Cabaret; Man of La Mancha; Mame; Sweet Charity; Funny Girl; and Hair.

The Broadway musical started to move away from the somewhat narrow confines of the 1950s. For example, rock music began to be integrated into several musicals, beginning with Hair, which not only featured rock music, but nudity and controversial opinions about the Vietnam War, race relations, and other social issues.

This week’s Stage Notes is sure to be a gas.