Byron Bay News
The Age of Aquarius comes home to Byron Bay
The Age of Aquarius comes home to Byron Bay
Bangalow Theatre Company to stage Hair, the ultimate ‘Tribal Love-Rock Musical’
By MARGARET DEKKER
It’s crazy to think man that the psychedelic cult classic Hair hasn’t been performed in Byron Bay.
With its celebration of hippie counterculture, anti-convention, anti-war and lots of peace, love and long hair baby, Australia’s own iconic “hippie-town” (well, it was) is the obvious stage.
Even Byron’s legendary welcome sign still tells us today to “Cheer Up. Slow Down. Chill Out.” In between love and peace symbols.
Now finally 56 years on, Northern Rivers theatregoers will get their chance to experience the original, definitive rock musical Hair, in Byron Bay, in all its sensual, rebellious, and pioneering rock glory, with the show coming to the Byron Theatre amphitheatre in March 2023.
Bringing this electric opus to life – which was first staged and controversially-so, Off-Broadway in the 1967 Summer of Love – is award-winning director, Byron Shire thespian (and self-described once hippie herself) Kate Foster and the Bangalow Theatre Company.
“I want it to be really intimate and we’ve secured the Byron Theatre for that reason, it has this lovely intimacy we need for this show,” Kate Foster, Director Hair said.
A solid, 6-month rehearsal schedule is now underway weekly in Bangalow Hall together with Assistant Director Anouska Gammon, to ‘Let the Sunshine In’ by next Autumn.
True to Hair’s own revolutionary roots, Kate Foster is applying similar ‘experimental’ techniques to early rehearsals, uniting a tribe of 15 local, passionate and already transfixed cast members: think improvisational exercises, yoga, candles, incense and evocative Indian ragas in the cast’s very own Bangalow ‘be-in.’
“It was so beautiful, just creating that level playing field with the cast. Hugging, chatting, then we spent two hours choreographing the open scene, Aquarius. It was such a good first rehearsal, it was just magic,” Kate Foster, Director Hair said.
“This is a tribe show, this isn’t your chorus and leads show but essentially a tribe of people who are on stage the whole time, transforming, costume-changing, ad-libbing,” Kate added.
Hair was written in 1967 by Gerome Ragni and James Rado to bring to the stage the social revolution the friends saw happening around them in their own streets of New York, in the mid-sixties; rising anti-Vietnam War, anti-conscription sentiment, new Eastern philosophy, hallucinogens, free love .. as a new generation of ‘true patriots’ emerged, dodging the draft and wanting, protesting a better, happier America. As original producer, Michael Butler said then, “Hair is the strongest anti-war statement ever written.”
Entertainment and theatre portrait photographer
Kate Foster echoes that original view.
“Young patriotic Americans were saying ‘no, we don’t want to go off and die.’ The protests we see in the show are directly referenced, like the assassination of American President, John F. Kennedy. He was seen as their saviour and he was taken from them, it led to a revolution of youth wanting to take control of their lives.”
Student protests, high school dropouts, flag burning, experimental drugs, sexual repression, racial integration, interracial relationships, and passivism are explored against a backdrop of the previous decade of conservative 1950s.
“It just blew society wide open. Such an electric, explosive time to be alive and these are all the amazing things the show deals with.
“And the show was created to be controversial, like never seen before. Previously musicals had been straight out of Rodgers and Hammerstein,” Kate Foster, Director Hair explains.
For the first time on stage, Hair challenged taboos of inequality, race relations, corruption in politics, domestic violence, environmental destruction, and human rights. It may leave audiences today wondering if anything’s really changed in five decades.
“The play itself has become a sort of time capsule. It was written in 1967 by Gerome Ragni and James Rado about their lives and that time of youth revolution in Vietnam War America. There have been so many rewrites and versions and directions taken but I want this show to be true to Hair’s original intention. I want it to be authentic, I want it to ring super-true to the 1960s, be a time capsule of 1968 in sound, set, lighting and wardrobe,” Kate Foster, Director Hair said.
A pure interpretation of the script is an unusual tack for the typically experimental, unconventional Foster who in 2017 was awarded a Gold Coast Area Theatre Award for ‘Best Director of a Community Theatre Musical’ for her contemporary take on the stage classic, ‘Little Shop of Horrors,’ again with Bangalow Theatre Company.
“I’m approaching the script with respect. I don’t want to mess with it,” Kate Foster, Director Hair told The Northern Rivers Times.
As for feeling any pressure in staging this truly original and almost ‘sacred’ rock musical, performed everywhere from the West End in London to Gorky Park in Moscow and countless countries in between, in its 55-year reign;
“Nothing creative comes out of fear,” Kate Foster said.
Performance has been Kate’s life since she was four years old; as actor, choreographer, short film cast member, Performing Arts degree holder, talent scout, committee member and director. But it’s Hair that’s always been her dream show.
“I went and saw the show six times when I was seventeen, at the height of my own ‘hippie phase’ (laughs.) Hair transported me into this world I’d never been to before, as a young adult wanting to escape .. I was absolutely transported to an era I wished I’d been a part of, that free, open-hearted world of the late 1960s .. it absolutely captured me. Ever since then I’ve been in love with it. And I’ve tried to bottle a little bit of that feeling and release it into this show.”
“Me directing the show now, you could say has been 30-years in the making,” Kate smiles.
There is no ‘Tribal Love-Rock Musical’ without the skilled interpretation of Galt MacDermot’s Grammy Award-winning score by Bangalow Theatre Company’s Music Director Margaret Curtis and her local live band, with Choreography by Shir Manu.
It’s important to stress, the entire show is staged by tireless and highly skilled volunteers.
“The Bangalow Theatre Company has an amazing network of volunteers who are very excited and can’t wait for this show to start. It’s really important to acknowledge the thousands of volunteer-hours that go into bringing this show to the community, so we hope the community comes to the show to make sure local theatre continues to happen,” Kate Foster, Director Hair said.
And by 2023, the show aims to lure a whole new generation of audience, to its new-age of Aquarius ..
“Everyone who’s aged 40-plus knows the show from 30 years ago, it’s now the younger generation I’m hoping to attract, to have the same powerful experience I had 30 years ago,” Kate Foster, Hair Director said.
As for her staging the definitive hippie musical in the definitive hippie town? Even Kate Foster can’t believe the .. dramatic irony and her luck.
“Byron is a perfect place to stage Hair .. it’s Byron!” Kate Foster laughed, out loud.
For the latest information on the show and ticket sale dates, visit Bangalow Theatre Company: bangalowtheatre.com.au
‘Give It Your All’: Future Students Invited to SAE Byron Bay Info Night on January 16
By Robert Heyward
Future creatives, get ready to kick off the new year with inspiration and direction at the SAE Byron Bay Info Night on Thursday, January 16, 2025. This exciting event offers a behind-the-scenes look at one of Australia’s top creative tertiary education providers and is set to be a night of discovery, learning, and connection.
From food trucks to student success stories, attendees will explore the vibrant world of creative media and technology at SAE’s six campuses across the country.
Discover Your Creative Path
Whether you’re a budding designer, filmmaker, animator, or aspiring music producer, SAE Info Night is the perfect opportunity to dive into your passion. Explore SAE’s wide range of creative courses, including:
- Design
- Film
- Music
- VFX & Virtual Production
- Animation
- Audio
- Computer Science
- Creative Industries
- Games
Guidance and Insight from Experts
SAE faculty will be on campus to offer one-on-one guidance, helping future students find the right course to match their aspirations and career goals. Attendees will also have the chance to connect with SAE’s student services team, who provide support ranging from academic assistance to career advice.
Bronte Dunning, a 2022 SAE Graduate and owner of Bronte Dunning Creative.
Real Stories, Real Inspiration
One of the highlights of the night will be the student and alumni speakers, sharing their journeys and achievements since studying at SAE. At the Byron Bay campus, guests will hear from Bronte Dunning, a Bachelor of Film Production graduate who has been running her own videography and photography business since graduating in 2022.
“My biggest career highlights are definitely filming Blues Fest Byron Bay for the past three years and working recently with NITV for the Australian Women in Music Awards,” Bronte shared.
“SAE gave me the skills and confidence to start my own business and connected me with a wide network of creatives. My advice for new students? Apply yourself in every class and give it your all. What you put in is what you get out. And most importantly, have fun with it!”
A Night to Explore and Enjoy
Attendees will get to tour the campus, enjoy delicious bites from local food trucks, and connect with faculty, staff, and current students. It’s a chance to immerse yourself in the creative environment that SAE is known for and discover how to turn your passion into a career.
Join the Creative Community
Don’t miss this opportunity to step into the world of creative media and technology. SAE Byron Bay Info Night is open to all future students or anyone curious about a creative career.
For more information and to register, visit the SAE website.
Take the first step toward a career that lights you up!
For more local news, click here.
Court Orders Holiday Letting Business at Kinabalu Farm to Shut Down
A remote holiday letting operation in the bush at Middle Pocket has been ordered to close after the NSW Land and Environment Court ruled that its dwellings were unauthorised and did not meet safety or building standards.
The owners of Kinabalu Farm, located at 333 Skyline Road, had been operating since 2022, offering visitors a rustic experience with basic cabin-like dwellings, including a handmade treehouse called The Treepod. Described as “the ultimate nature lovers and wilderness experience,” the site was accessible only by four-wheel drive and was nestled deep in heavily vegetated bushland.
Council Takes Legal Action
Late last year, Byron Shire Council brought legal action against the owners, citing serious concerns over the safety and legality of the accommodations. The case was heard by Justice Nicola Pain, who found in favour of the Council.
On November 15, Justice Pain ordered the immediate cessation of all holiday letting activities at Kinabalu Farm, including the use of five unauthorised buildings: four cabins and The Treepod.
Serious Safety Concerns
In her judgment, Justice Pain noted that the property’s location posed significant risks, particularly with the imminent bushfire season.
“The location of the property is in a heavily vegetated area, with limited access,” Justice Pain said. “The main usable road access is by four-wheel-drive only. There is a potentially serious environmental issue.”
Photo courtesy of newsouthwaleshotels.net
An inspection by a building certifier revealed extensive non-compliance with building standards, including:
- Balconies without balustrades.
- Access ways lacking railings.
- Absence of fire-rated and ember-retardant materials.
- Windows opening directly to the ground.
Additionally, the court found there was no development consent for the dwellings to be used for short-term rentals, nor was there a publicly registered management plan to alert emergency services to the site’s existence.
Immediate Action Ordered
Justice Pain directed the owners to:
- Cease advertising the unauthorised dwellings.
- Remove all promotional materials.
- Allow Council to inspect the property with 48 hours’ notice to ensure compliance.
Failed Defence
While the owners’ solicitor suggested they intended to rely on existing use rights as a defence, no formal case was filed. Justice Pain noted that the business had been given ample time to substantiate this claim but failed to do so.
Community and Environmental Impact
The court highlighted the potential dangers posed by the remote, heavily vegetated location, particularly during bushfire season. The case underscores the importance of adhering to planning and safety standards, especially in environmentally sensitive and high-risk areas.
Kinabalu Farm has been ordered to halt all bookings and operations until the dwellings comply with regulations, marking a significant victory for Byron Shire Council in safeguarding community and environmental interests.
For more local news, click here.
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