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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:windowtext">The Steelman of HAIR, a BW product!</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:windowtext"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:windowtext">He has a superman inked logo on his arm with flashes of
fire shooting out around it.<span style> </span>He
devotes huge amounts of energy working out at the gym.<span style> </span>He spends a lot of time in public with
either no clothes on or clothed only in a loin cloth.<span style> </span>Fans are drawn to his charisma.<span style> </span>Is he a super hero?<span style>
</span>No, he’s Steel Burkhardt, who plays the role of Berger in the touring
production of HAIR, which is going to be playing at the Palace Theatre in
downtown Cleveland from </span><span style="color:windowtext">January
17th through the 29<sup>th</sup>.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:windowtext"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:windowtext">Burkhardt, whose nickname
is Steelman, is from Union, New Jersey.<span style>
</span>His local claim to fame is his attendance and graduation from Baldwin
Wallace College.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:windowtext"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:windowtext">How did he get from the
Garden State to tiny Berea, Ohio?<span style> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:windowtext"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:windowtext">During a recent phone
interview, Burkhardt indicated that when he started his search for the “right”
college, he was drawn to BW because of it’s ranking in the top five college
musical theatre programs.<span style> </span>During
his first visit he instantly fell in love with the beautiful campus with places
to ride his bike, the curriculum’s emphasis on self-empowerment and
self-growth, the supportive rather than competitive nature of the program, and
the quality of instruction.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:windowtext"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:windowtext">He praises such faculty
members as voice professor, Timothy Mussard, </span><span style="color:windowtext">one of America’s most
distinguished Heldentenors; </span><span style="color:windowtext">Janeice
Kelley-Kiteley, the dynamic, now retired dance instructor; Dr. Ellen Posman, Associate
Professor of Religion; and, of course, Victoria Bussert, the heart of the music
theatre program.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:windowtext"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:windowtext">Bussert returned the
admiration when she said of Steel, “</span><span style="color:windowtext">I loved having him as a
student -- always fun, generous and grounded.”</span><span style="color:windowtext"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:windowtext"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:windowtext">Burkhardt found that the BW
stress on a music background, classical training and a balanced program allowed
him to soar.<span style> </span>It allowed him to
present himself to potential agents and casting directors when he performed in
the 2007 Senior Showcase in New York.<span style>
</span>It was from this experience that he got his agent and eventually was
cast in the Central Park production of HAIR, which was followed by his
performance in the revival of the show on Broadway, the London production, and
now, the lead role of Berger in the touring production.<span style> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:windowtext"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:windowtext">Ironically, Brukhardt’s
introduction to HAIR was when he appeared in the show at BW.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:windowtext"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:windowtext">Answers to questions he’s
asked about the touring production: </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:windowtext">•Yes, the famous nude scene,
which caused bomb threats and pickets during the NY and touring show, climaxed
on April 25, 1971, when a bomb exploded in front of Cleveland’s Hanna Theatre
during the Age of Aquarius show’s run.<span style>
</span>Cast members are encouraged but not required to take off their clothes.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:windowtext">•The long tresses he displays
on stage are his own…no extensions or a wig.<span style> </span>He washes his hair once a week and just shakes it out and
he’s ready to go.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:windowtext">•The show is Claude’s journey
through free love and is personified by his love affair with Burger, which is
implied but never really acted out on stage.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:windowtext">•The dance party at the end
of the show when the audience members are invited up on stage to rock away is
always energizing and is a celebration of life which encourages audience
members to be “who you are.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:windowtext">•The tour ends, ironically,
in Cleveland, and then Burkhardt is back to New York to try out for hopefully a
major role in another show.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:windowtext"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:windowtext">An online<span style> </span>bio summarizes Steel Burkhardt and HAIR.<span style> </span>“Once upon a time Steel graduated from
a school called Baldwin Wallace.<span style> </span>He
was shy in a small concert, then got naked in Central Park, was nude on a
Broadway stage, then bared it again on the West End.<span style> </span>Now he is ready for America…then perhaps the World!”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:windowtext"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="color:windowtext">Special note:<span style> </span>For a enlightening backstage tour of
HAIR conducted by Steel Burkhardt go to: <a href="http://www.broadway.com/shows/hair/buzz/157333/hair-star-steel-burkhardt-invites-you-on-an-exclusive-backstage-tour/">http://www.broadway.com/shows/hair/buzz/157333/hair-star-steel-burkhardt-invites-you-on-an-exclusive-backstage-tour/</a></span></i></p>