Youth, rebellion and the search for identity will take centre stage this March as Redhill School prepares to present a new production of the iconic rock musical Hair - the first major show to be staged in the school’s newly-renovated Redhill Theatre.
Running from 21 to 31 March, the production features a cast and backstage team of 40 students aged between 14 and 18. The show combines student performance with a live band, bold visual design and choreography that blends traditional musical theatre with elements of physical theatre to create a dynamic stage experience.
Redhill’s large-scale productions have become a defining feature of the school’s arts programme. Over the past decade, the school has developed a reputation for staging ambitious musicals, with recent productions of Cabaret, Chicago and Little Shop of Horrors earning nominations and wins at the Naledi Theatre Awards, widely regarded as South Africa’s leading theatre honours.
For the school, however, the productions are designed to do more than entertain audiences.
Each year, a musical is selected specifically to challenge and inspire the group of students involved, offering opportunities for both artistic and personal growth.
Executive head and director Joseph Gerassi said the decision to stage Hair was guided by the themes that sit at the heart of the musical.
“When we began the journey of bringing Hair to life as this year’s musical production, we were motivated by more than simply staging a famous musical. We were drawn to its spirit. Hair celebrates youth, questions authority, explores identity and ultimately asks what it means to belong. These are themes that remain just as relevant today as they were when the musical first premiered in 1967,” he said.
At its core, the musical explores the emotional journey young people face as they navigate friendship, love, fear, hope and the pressure to conform.
“In many ways this production has given our students the opportunity to explore those questions through music, movement and storytelling while discovering their own voices as performers and as individuals,” Gerassi added.
For the students involved, the production reflects months of preparation, collaboration and creative experimentation. Some are stepping onto a major stage for the first time, while others return for their third Redhill musical, bringing experience and leadership to the ensemble.
The choreography is led by Dr Bailey Snyman, head of dramatic arts and IB theatre studies at Redhill and a recipient of the Standard Bank Young Artist Award for dance. Her physical theatre approach brings a contemporary energy to the staging.
Musical direction is provided by Rudi Olivier, head of campus music at Redhill, who leads a live band performing the rock score that helped make Hair a global cultural phenomenon.
With its energetic music, expressive choreography and themes that continue to resonate with new generations, the production offers students an opportunity to collaborate, take creative risks and experience the transformative power of theatre.
As the first major production to be staged in the newly refurbished Redhill Theatre, the show is expected to mark a significant moment for the school’s performing arts programme.