"Beehive, the 60s Musical"

 

It was a stroll down memory lane last evening as we watched "Beehive, the 60s Musical." A celebration of #1 hits sung by girls groups and solo girls of the era, it included rock, pop, and soul. Dusty Springfield, Lesley Gore, The Shirelles, Janis Ian, Tina Turner, Aretha Franklin, Janis Joplin and so many others. Beside the many wig and wardrobe changes for the performers, the songs were tied to the events and pivotal moments of the 60s. I could hardly bear to watch President John F. Kennedy once again leave for that fatal trip to Dallas. I wanted to shout, "Don't go!"

The 60s began with an innocence, but by the middle of the decade, it was a time of unrest and activism - civil rights, equal rights for women, a demand for an end to the Vietnam War. (During intermission, the man next to me said that he got his MBA from the Harvard Business School, but his wife, who also wanted to attend, was not allowed. The HBS didn't enroll women until 1963, and then it was a scant eight.) The war did end, but now 50 years later, it is shocking to me how little progress has been made toward equal rights for AfroAmericans and women. Yes, it's better. It's still not good. Ah, but I digress. The end of the decade is presented as a time when women began to own their empowerment. Can you say, "R-E-S-P-E-C-T?"

Well, there I sat singing along to the Name Game and wanting to be on stage dancing the pony, jerk, and monkey, and doing a little instruction on the correct way to twist! I didn't own any high white boots when I was a teenager, but I did wear shifts in neon colors and mini skirts that probably showed a little too much. But, hey, it was the 60s! Later in that decade, it was long straight blonde hair, bell bottom jeans, a leather braided headband, and a peace armband. I'm still that peace-loving hippie at heart. Always will be.

I was only nine when the decade began and halfway through college when it ended. Without a doubt, I was refined by the fire of the 60s. It was an incredible time to grow up. It made me believe that the power of the people can change things for the better. It made me compassionate, wanting to help others with less. It made me stand up for myself as a woman. Yes, it made me exactly who I am.

(To hear a little of the musical go to: vimeo.com/79525249)