[Mb-hair] HAiR Thread

[Little Birdie]

Great question Sherwin!

I have heard several stories over the years as to the symbolism of the signs 
in the Hair logo. I like the one that Michael mentioned. Earl Scott, Hair 
official tarot card reader, and a very special person, always said that The 
Magician was Michael's card in the tarot deck - that it represented him. As 
Michael said there is great magic in Hair, and so it could be said that The 
Magician is also Hair's card. It  was painted as a curtain that was used on 
the second level of the tower set in many productions.  If one looks closely 
at the card from the Waite Rider tarot deck (the deck that the tarot images 
used in Hair came from) one sees that over the magician's head there is an 
infinity sign and a roman numeral I (it is the first card in the major 
arcana, one of the two sections of cards in a tarot deck (major arcana has 
titled cards like The Lovers, The Magician, The Fool, The Sun, The Moon, 
etc, minor arcana has 1 through King of the "suits" of a tarot card deck - 
cups, wands, swords, pentacles - but this is probably more than you wanted 
to know!)

So we have the numeral I and the infinity sign on The Magician tarot card, 
Michael's card and Hair's card, which is also decorated on the top with 
hanging vines, which image was used to create the marquee of the Biltmore 
theatre. I attach two photos - one of the Magician card from the Waite Rider 
deck, and also one of the Biltmore Theatre's Marquee during Hair's run.

To me personally the infinity sign has always meant that Hair would go on 
forever. The I referred originally to the first, or Broadway, production. 
Very briefly other productions had different numbers, which can occasionally 
be seen on playbills (I think Chicago had a 2?) but fairly soon all the 
companies used the logo with the I, regardless of what company they were.

There are other interpretations of the symbolism, and i would love to hear 
what others had heard. Or better yet, what they interpret the symbolism as 
being for them.

Love,
Nina

The Hair Archives
http://www.michaelbutler.com/hair/holding/Hair.html

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