Arts Alive!: Berger and Sheila from American Stage’s ‘Hair’

From the American Stage production of Hair, running nightly (Wednesdays-Sundays) through April 27, EJ Dohring and Emma Rose Johnson join us for today’s edition of the Arts Alive! podcast.

They play, respectively, Berger and Sheila, two members of the “tribe” of street hippies dreamed up in the late 1960s by Gerome Ragni and James Rado (book and lyrics) and Galt McDermott (music).

Johnson and Dohring onstage at Demens Landing Park. Photo provided.

Although the iconic musical is set in one of the most turbulent times in recent American history – the Vietnam War was raging, and young people were terrified of getting drafted and sent over – its overarching themes of love, trust and the unbreakable bonds of community are still very relevant.

Dohring and Johnson are several generations from the one depicted in Hair, but they both say the ensemble of 13 immediately fit together, found the groove and never looked back. We talk about Jessica Hindsley’s choreography, and the direction by Kenny Moten. And the band. And the stage.

They also love performing on the outdoor stage in Demens Landing Park – even when some nights aren’t as warm as others.

Click on the arrow to listen to the interview.