Vintage April 1970 Hair National Tour Playbill Banned in Boston Wilbur Theatre

Original Playbill from the 1970 production of the rock musical Hair at the Wilbur Theatre in Boston is an amazing piece of theatre history. The fabulous ads are a time capsule of 1970s Boston and American culture, and the articles are a time capsule of 1970s theatre. But the backstory can't be beat.

This touring production's run in Boston was one of the most famous "Banned in Boston" cases in the city's history, involving a legal battle that went all the way to the US Supreme Court. Hair opened at the Wilbur on March 6, but the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial court ruled on April 9 that the play could only continue if the actors were "clothed to a reasonable extent" and stopped simulating sexual acts. Rather than comply with these "excisions," the producers voluntarily closed the show on April 10 to maintain its "artistic integrity" while they fought the ruling in federal court. After a series of appeals reached the U.S Supreme Court, a 4-4 tie vote upheld a lower federal court's decision allowing the show to perform in its original, unedited form, and it reopened on May 22, 1970. 

SIZE 6" x 9"

CONDITION Very good condition. Back cover and 2 pages have slightly bent corners.

This is a pre-owned item. It has been used and loved and it has a history. Please examine photos carefully and ask questions. We want you to love your theatre souvenir.