They say if you remember the ’60s then you weren't really there. Well, for those who would like to take a trip down memory lane, or if what you have heard about the decade sounds intriguing, then you must see Gavin Creel's Tony-nominated performance as Claude in Broadway's newest revival hit, Hair … and be sure you bring your dancing sandals.
It wasn't hard for the Ohio-born, 33-year-old actor with a bachelor of fine arts in musical theater from the University of Michigan to assimilate into a storyline that takes place 40-something years ago. It did, however, take a lot of research. So how did Gavin prepare for his role? “I went to the New York Library and looked through pictures from the time,” he said. “Besides the visuals, I listened to a lot of music from that era, too.” Gavin added that he was fortunate to speak to people and get first-hand accounts. “Lucky thing I wasn’t doing Camelot,” he joked.
To be or not to be? That was the question. Should Claude burn his draft card or should he accept fate and go to Vietnam? For Gavin, the irony of the question was uncanny. He explained how his own father faced the same challenging questions when drafted. “My dad was just a few months shy of his 26th birthday, married and expecting his first child when he was called to serve.” Unlike Claude who went to Vietnam, Gavin’s father was headed for Cambodia when his superior officer intervened.
Ultimately, Gavin’s father was stationed in Thailand.While the play depicts a very troubled time in American history, the energy level on stage and in the audience is tremendous. Throughout the show, cast members dance up and down the aisles. Audience members should not be surprised if they are suddenly pulled from their seats to dance along, as if they, too, were members of the cast. Everybody in the theater is in some way affected by Hair. Gavin said that as he looks out from the stage, he is moved by what he witnesses. “There are 50-year-old dads wiping their eyes and next to them are their teenage daughters, wearing headbands and tie-dyed shirts,” Gavin said. “The best part of the show for me is at the end, when I am up on the platform and I can see the entire audience.” In the last scene, as the storyline comes to fruition, the audience is invited to join the ensemble on stage while everyone sings Let the Sunshine In.
Gavin is no stranger to the Broadway stage. In 2002 he received his first Tony nomination for his performance as Jimmy Smith in Thoroughly Modern Millie.  He also made his television debut in Eloise at the Plaza and Eloise at Christmastime.
When not performing on the Broadway stage, Gavin spends time writing music. He co-produced an album titled GoodTimeNation.  “I am really proud of it. I wrote it with Robbie Roth and it is just 40 minutes of feel-good, sexy, fun pop music.”
But for now, all focus should be on Gavin Creel’s outstanding performance in Hair at the Al Hirschfeld Theater. It may not be Woodstock, but for the 50-something crowd, this is a trip of nostalgia and for the younger generation, it is a history lesson of a time when all was fair in love and war.