Attention Deficit Delirium

My latest cover story for Stage Direction focuses on the wild wig work of "Rock Of Ages" hair designer Tom Watson.

Eighties jukebox musical Rock Of Ages has taken Broadway by storm while helping fortysomethings relive their alcohol fueled, peroxide filled hair band daze. The fun, flashy show is the pop version of the metal movement of the Eighties (where devil horns were tossed with unintentional irony) that tones down the reality of the mouching, boozing, sexist rockers who littered the Sunset Strip (they were generally more Stacee Jaxx than Wolfgang Von Colt, for those of you who have seen the show). It’s also interesting to note that this long haired extraganza has arrived on the Great White Way at the same time as the return of the classic Sixties musical Hair. Here we have two different types of hair revivals linked by not only their lengthy locks but the fact that the children of the Eighties experienced a diluted Sixties flashback.

For the current issue of Stage Directions I wrote the cover story “Hair-Raising Wigs” (on page 32), which examines hair and wig designer Tom Watson’s superlative and meticulous work on the show. Seriously, you’ll be shocked when you compare the guys onstage with their shorter maned Playbill photos. Except for star Constantine Maroulis. His hair is real.

“Hair-Raising Wigs” PDF version

“Hair-Raising Wigs” HTML version