“Let the Sunshine In” -- 50 Years Since Hair
Beach Café
October 6, 2018

When the Moon is in the Seventh House
And Jupiter aligns with Mars,
Then peace will guide the planets
And love will steer the stars
 “When the moon was in the seventh house, and Jupiter aligned with Mars.  “…it was the “Age of Aquarius,” brought alive in song in the rock musical Hair. First produced at Joseph Papp’s Public Theater, the show moved to Broadway – and shining in the latter cast, in 1968, was a young Heather MacRae: daughter of stars Gordon and Sheila MacRae, and developing as an actress-singer in her own right.
Now, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Broadway production, Heather is still singing, in as warm, sweet and moving a voice as ever. The evidence: her recent one-night solo program at Beach Café. With Mark Nadler at the piano, accompanying her in warm and supportive fashion, Heather sang and reminisced, not only about her own career but also of those of her parents.
Years rolled away as Heather reprised key numbers from Hair : “Aquarius,” “Where Do I Go?”, “Good Morning, Starshine,” “Up on the Roof ”;  “Easy to Be Hard ” (which Heather confessed to enjoy singing for 50 years); an exuberant ”I Got Life” and the show’s title song. In addition, in warm remembrance of her parents, Heather musically recalled how her father had gently driven her around the motion picture set of Oklahoma in “the surrey with the fringe on top” . – while she also paid tribute to her mother’s starring role opposite Jackie Gleason on “The Honeymooners” television series. A tribute to Joni Mitchell was embodied in Heather’s rendition of “Both Sides Now,” while salutes to the U.S.A. took the form of the song, “America” as well as “American Tune.” and “Ohio.” 
A moving finish to Heather’s show was a three-song medley, consisting of the forward- looking medley: “What a Piece of Work is Man”( another song from Hair and based on Hamlet’s refection on the human condition); “Hope Floats,” and Heather’s finale: a rousing reprise of “Let the Sunshine In.”
It had been several years since Heather performed in a solo show of her own. It’s hoped that she can return more often to New York cabaret..