[Mb-hair] Tioga's Take on the 2005 NYC HAIR Reunion

[tiogajoe at juno.com]

Journal 2005-09-10
Tioga's Take on the 2005 HAIR NYC Reunion
"The Adventures of Tioga Joe"
HAIR Date 2005.09.10 (Sat.) CE
 
E.T.A. New York-Penn Station 5:00 P.M. E.D.T.
Wended my way on foot
West to Broadway,
Routing me right on down
"To 4th Street U.S.A."
And home to LaMaMa
e.t.c.
Halfway there,
At Union Square,
I had a HAIR
Moment.
'Neath the bronze statue of 
Mahatma Gandhi
Saffron-ed Krishnites
Served meals, played instruments
And sang,
"Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna
"Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
"Hare Rama, Hare Rama
"Rama Rama, Hare Hare"
'Natch, I sang along, yet
Conscious my obesity
Showed surely
I was no fellow
Vegetarian.
But 'twas sign enough
Tonight's HAIR Happening
Would only be good.
Prosing right along, I found 74-A, 4th Street, U.S.A., home to LaMaMa e.t.c. (experimental theatre club).  I knew I was nearing my destination, when spiriting from it came this Arlo-Guthrie-ish white maned and bearded (and clad) wizard, whom I later met and learned was HAIR's own Red Shepard, the (formerly) red-maned, motor-biking Berger (L.A. '68) in that wonderful photo recently posted to the MB-HAIR List.
Passing the wizard, I enter to the box office window, where I'm met by the comparably hobbit-like HAIR's Michael David Arien (Revival '74), whom I recognized from the Bridgeport, Connecticut, HAIR attendees photos.  I'd missed meeting him then, but now had the pleasure, and it indeed was a pleasure--the perfect host to meet and greet the in-coming HAIR Reunionarians.
And HAIR's Corrine Broskette arrived on my coat tails.  She, too, would make me feel so at home and so welcome at this wonderful Be-In.
(Oh, Man, I know if I start this naming-everybody thing, I'm going to miss somebody, so, I beg your pardon in advance.  Chalk it up to A.D.D., P.T.S.D., and maybe even T.H.C.)
Ah, the Hostess with the Most-est was our Little Birdie, Nina Machlin Dayton, and what a Master of Ceremonies was our "What a Piece of Work Is Man" (O.B.C.) Walter Michael Harris!
And there was Natalie Mosco (O.B.C.), Trevor Dayton, Debbie Andrews, Ross MacLean, Robin McNamara (Broadway '71/Divine HAIR, Mass in F), Leo Lunser, Lisa and Sean (Dauber) Courtney, Bill Swiggard, Robert Camuto, Sally Shafer and her handsome beau from Florida, Jeff Lunger, Sherwin Ross, Cara Robin, and others I had the pleasure of mingling with.
Was honored with a hug from Michael Butler and a brief chat with Jim Rado, both of whom I'd met at previous HAIR-ish engagements.  Although I sat near Tom O'Horgan and caught a glimpse there of Galt MacDermont, I refrained from imposing myself on them, since they wouldn't know me from Adam, and there were so many present who had worked directly with them in the past, who better warranted claiming their time and attention.
Also was honored to have join me at my table Heather MacRae (L.A. '68).  I'd reminded her that in the late '80s, we were briefly upstairs/downstairs neighbors in a two-family house in Ossining, New York.  HAIR had never surfaced in conversations back then, so there was understandably a bit of wonderment about my presence at the HAIR Reunion (and, oh, man, you should have seen/heard her belt it out singing "Flesh Failures" on the archives video playing in the lobby that night -- made it all the more sweet to hear her lead it onstage during the night's sing-along: "We starve, look at one another short of breath, ...."
Have we mentioned enough what a wonderful host was Walter Michael on stage that evening?
And how sweet to hear, live, Shelly Plimpton (O.B.C.) serenading Tom O'Horgan with her trademark rendition of "Frank Mills."
And it turns out the pixie next to me, singing every word to every HAIR song sung that night, was Shelly's daughter, actress Martha Plimpton, who gave me the sweetest giggle when I flashed her (hiding under my lapel) my circa-1979 photo of me sporting Z Z Top-length long hair and beard.
Martha's pop, actor Keith Carradine, added to the Sunshine shining on the party.
And then SNL comedian Fred Armisen joined Martha, and what a warm, kind gentleman he seemed to be, as he shook my hand and acknowledged my greeting to him.
I also, perhaps too boldly, shook Ben Vereen's hand (L.A. '68) as he arrived.  Later, Corrine kindly introduced him to me, and I said, "Yeah, I kinda grabbed your hand and shook it earlier," and he kinda chuckled and said, "Yeah, you did!"
Although I did indeed notice the yellow sport-coated handsome gent with the Rod Stewart hair and his Cher-ishly lovely wife Helene (Morrison) Masiko (Touring Co.), I'm afraid I didn't meet them.  I hope I'll have another opportunity to in the not too distant future.
And so many more there that I didn't get to meet/pay my respects to, but to whom I hope my respect vibes got through.
Oh, and what a spread!  Sushi out the wazoo (num num), and plenty of other tasty treats.
And the HAIR logo/poster cake!  Can you beat that?
Then, to wrap it up, I had the pleasure of training back to the Jersey Shore in the company of Sean and Lisa from (our mutually current home town) Ocean Grove, where Walter Michael visited that very morning!
Man, what an evening!  What a Trip!  
Thanks to all who made the Happening possible, and thanks to all who made, and continue to make HAIR possible.
And thanks to all who've posted online photos from the event!
(How'd I do with my report?)
Peace,
Lee Joseph de Tioga Livingstone Smith
Dr. Sibley
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