Longwood Players to Perform Musical "Hair"

A new theater group based at Harvard's Longwood campus will produce the musical "Hair" this weekend.

The show is the first production of a new theater company, the Longwood Players.

The company was created this year by three students from each of the schools at the Longwood campus.

The founders were P. Kirsten Newby, a second-year student at the School of Public Health; Jerome B. Schuman '98, a first-year student at the School of Dental Medicine; and Jennifer S. McCall, a first-year student at the Medical School.

Since its founding, the troupe has grown to include more than 50 members, most of whom are students at schools on the Longwood campus.

"Our hope was to unite students of the different graduate schools across the campus," Newby said.

The group is also open to students and staff from other parts of the University as well as to members of the local community.

Newby said she had planned to start some type of acting group ever since she arrived at Harvard.

"Acting groups are very rare on a graduate level," she said. "I came to Harvard assuming they would not have such a group."

"Hair" was chosen as the first production for a number of reason including cost and flexibility, Newby said.

"Logistically and pragmatically, it's a great show to start with," he said.

"Also, though, it's great show with timeless messages of peace, love and freedom," he added.