Philippe Touzel, Éléonore Lagacé, Kevin Houle, Sarah-Maude Desgagnés, Maxime-Olivier Potvin and Félix Lahaye are working hard with director Serge Denoncourt to impress – and ears – this summer with the musical ‘Hair’ at the Théâtre St -Denis from June 16th.
Denoncourt, who also adapted the 1967 work, orchestrates the work of 30 artists and musicians for the needs of this new major Just for Laughs festival production.
Philippe Touzel and Éléonore Lagacé, who shone in the 2017 musical Footloose, reunite in Hair.
Kevin Houle is returning to the service after excelling in “Annie” last summer. Sarah-Maude Desgagnés was unveiled by Star Académie last winter, while actors Maxime-Olivier Potvin and Félix Lahaye are increasingly in demand.
In addition to starring, Denoncourt has called on several other talents to deliver “Hair’s messages of love, peace and freedom,” namely Nico Archambault, Krystel Assaf, Réginald Bellamy, Étienne Cousineau, Chad Concepcion, Fannie Côté, Jordan Donoghue, Johanne Ductan-Petit, Marie-Pierre De Brienne, José Flores, Cyndie Forget-Gravel, Tom-Éliot Girard, Lauri-Ann Lauzon, Camille Morasse, Cassandra Montreuil, Delphine Morissette, Marcio Vinicius Paulino Silveira and Jérémie Roy.
The musical Hair was first performed in French in Quebec in September 1970, three years after its creation in the United States. The story centers on Claude Bukowski (Philippe Touzel), who has to leave his ranch in Oklahoma to fight in Vietnam.
Before he enlists in the army, he meets a group of free-spirited hippie activists, young people who protest against the war and dream of a more peaceful, greener, fairer and more beautiful world.
They celebrate free love to rousing rock anthems and fight for a better America that can keep its promises.
Passion, humor and irony
For this new version, in which Serge Denoncourt “explores the codes and values of ‘Peace and Love’ with passion, humor and sometimes irony”, he surrounds himself with the same team of creators who dreamed up the hit musical ‘Annie’ . last summer.
Thus, Wynn Holmes signs the choreography, assisted by the dancer Nico Archambault, Lorenzo Somma provides the musical direction and directs a group of seven musicians, and Katee Julien supervises the actor-singers on the vocal level. Guillaume Lord (set design), Pierre-Guy Lapointe (costumes), Julie Basse (lighting), Silent Partner (videos), Julie Measroch (props) and Amélie Bruneau-Longpré (make-up, hairstyles) will also be there.
Note that from December 12th the show will also be offered in the Old Capital, more precisely in the Salle Albert-Rousseau.
Tickets are already available online [hahaha.com].