Cheryl Barnes (b. c. 1951 in Westfield, New Jersey)[1] is an American singer and actress. She is best known for her role in Miloš Forman's 1979 film adaptation of Hair, where she played the mother of Hud's little son.
Barnes auditioned for Hair at an open casting call.[1] She had no agent and was working as a chambermaid in a motel in Martha's Vineyard.[1] Barnes' song in Hair, "Easy to Be Hard," was captured in one take, and this is the take seen in its entirety in the film.[citation needed] Her later scene in the desert outside the army base was filmed in Barstow, California, where she remained after production.[1] Forman talked her into coming to New York City for a few months, as he did not want to see such talent go to waste, but Barnes soon returned to Barstow, where she worked as a piano teacher.[citation needed] She remained friends with Forman and accompanied him to Prague in 1983, where he was shooting the film Amadeus.[4]
1234567Allis, Samuel. "Cheryl Barnes, One Song Later", The Washington Post, May 6, 1979. Accessed October 13, 2021. "Barnes grew up the oldest of five children in a middle class family in the middle class town of Westfield, N.J., 'where everyone is supposed to go to college.'"
123"Cheryl Barnes Is Starring In Godspell", The Westfield Leader, June 14, 1973. Accessed October 13, 2021. "Cheryl Barnes, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Barnes of Westfield, is one of the stars of the international hit play Godspell.... A graduate of Westfield High School, Cheryl attended Union Junior College before going to New York and making her theatrical debut in The Last Sweet Days of Isaac".
↑Sleeve of Leonard Cohen 45 CBS 4431: "Do I Have to Dance All Night" / "The Butcher"
↑Miloš Forman and Jan Novák: Autobiografie Miloše Formana (2007) in Czech... based on Forman's Turnaround and Art of PossibleISBN978-80-903455-7-7
