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
Chances are - you are keen to the fact that the above lyrics are from the hit song (Aquarius) penned for the Rock Musical "Hair" which was written by a good friend of mine - Gerome Ragni (and his sidekick James Rado).
I originally met "Jerry" in an odd way!
In the sixties, I was a street performer (known as "The Dancer"), who garnered a lot of public attention in the downtown streets of Toronto, during that heady era.
In fact, on one occasion on Baldwin Street, I was arrested for dancing on a police car during a scuffle that ensued during a rally (which was launched in a bold-faced effort to convert the tiny thoroughfare into a marketplace "sans" motor vehicles along the lines of the Farmer's Markets springing up around the Nation today).
Morley Markson - a filmmaker who was travelling around North America shooting footage on the sixties hippie movement - happened to be in attendance that day with his crew in tow and captured the whole episode on film.
Subsequently, the hilarious scene ended up being broadcast on the National News (CBC) in Canada with a Beatles's tune blaring in the background!
Later, Mr. Markson included the footage in his documentary - "Breathing Together" - which was also known as the "Revolution of the Electric Family" - which won an award at the Cannes Film Festival in 1972.
Of course - clips of Abbie Hoffman, John Lennon, and Buckminster Fuller - didn't hurt when it came to drumming up interest in his delightful take on that outrageous unique era.
Meanwhile, elsewhere on the horizon, Mr. Ragni - the innovative writer/composer of the Broadway sell-out show - was in Toronto in preparation for the launch of a HAIR production at the Alexandria Theatre.
One day I was dancing on Bloor Street in downtown "Cow" town, when Mr. Ragni happened to be cruising by in a taxi.
As soon as he spied me outside of the passenger window of the cab, he bolted out the side-door, and dashed up to me on the street.
"You've got to be in Hair," he exclaimed excitedly.
Due to my highly-original dance routines and ubiquitous bohemian presence (coupled with scraggly curly locks similar to those featured on the album cover) it was pretty much a given to folks in Toronto that I was a perfect fit for the production of "HAIR"
Unfortunately, after I danced up-a-storm and warbled a heart-felt spirited tune at my audition, the producers arrived at their own conclusions.
"He's stoned," they lamented.
Next!
Understandably, a reporter - sitting in on the auditions - was quick to pose a question in the aftermath.
"What were you on?"
"The stage," I quipped without blinking-an-eye!
Ba-dump!
Although I didn't end up on stage in the Toronto production of HAIR in a role, I was invited to the opening night celebrations, nonetheless.
Old photographs at the Toronto Star (Weekend Magazine) bare witness to the fact that I was center stage - and dancing alongside the cast (with Ragni) - when the final explosive scene rang down the curtain that night.
Needless to say, Jerry and I became good friends.
In fact, we were casual lovers - too - on the sly.
Jerry was married after all, and had a young son.
To further complicate matters, I was underage (17).
To further complicate matters, I was underage (17).
The last time I was in the company of Jerry, it was a bizarre experience, too.
I was tripping around West Hollywood one day when I ran smack dab into Jerry near Duke's Restaurant (which used to be at the Tropicana Hotel on Santa Monica Blvd before it moved up to Sunset Blvd on the busy strip).
Jerry invited me up to his Hotel room (at the Sunset Marquis) for a light snack and coffee, but - wouldn't 'ya know it - our chance encounter ended up turning into a roll in-the-hay.
Just as we finished up doing the nasty (a phrase we used in those days), the front desk clerk called up from the lobby of the Hotel, with a message which struck like a bolt of lightning.
Treat Williams was downstairs and on his way up.
OMG!
Jerry was in a panic because he instinctively knew that Treat would figure things out at the drop of-a-hat once he spied us together in his suite.
So, Jerry urged me to hide in the closet (!) until the two of them took off for an engagement across town (which had allegedly slipped his mind).
"Just let yourself out when we're gone," Jerry laughed.
And, that was the last time I saw his cheerful mug.
Gerome Ragni passed away in the 1980's but left a legacy of song!
"Hair" wasn't a hit at first, though.
According to Jerry, the musical languished off-off Broadway for weeks without much recognition or fanfare.
"It wasn't until we put in the nude scene," joked Jerry,"that we rustled up all the attention. At which point, the show took off."
"Hair" is slated for a revival at the Pantages Theatre next month from January 5th thru 11th.
If you have the opportunity, catch it if you can!
It's still a wonderful musical that is uplifting, spirited, and chock full of exuberance.
Treat starred in film version of Hair!
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