Hair, 40th anniversary concert

The Public Theater have announced the complete cast for the 40th anniversary concert celebration of HAIR: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park.

Directed by Diane Paulus, with book and lyrics by James Rado and Gerome Ragni and music by Galt MacDermot, Hair will play for three-nights-only, from 22 - 24 Sep 2007. Hair: The year is 1967, and the Vietnam War is at its height. In New York City, a tribe of hippies rails against the establishment, protesting intolerance, brutality, and the dehumanization of society. When Claude, one of their own, gets drafted, he must make a decision about what values are worth fighting for.

Claude will be played by Jonathan Groff, who stars as Melchior Gabor in the Tony Award winning Best Musica Spring Awakening for which Groff was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical.

The cast will also include Ato Blankson-Wood (Tribe), Steel Burkhardt (Tribe), Allison Case (Crissy), Lauren Elder (Tribe), Allison Guinn (Tribe), Anthony Hollock (Tribe), Kaitlin Kiyan (Tribe), Andrew Kober (Father/Margaret Mead), Megan Lawrence (Mother), Nicole Lewis (White Boys Trio / Tribe), Patina Miller (Dionne), John Moauro (Tribe), Darius Nichols (Hud), Karen Olivo (Sheila), Brandon Pearson (Tribe), Alisan Porter (Black Boys Trio / Tribe), Megan Reinking (Black Boys Trio / Tribe), Paris Remillard (Tribe), Bryce Ryness (Woof), Saycon Sengbloh (White Boys Trio / Tribe), Maya Sharpe (Tribe), Kacie Sheik (Jeanie), Theo Stockman (Tribe), Will Swenson (Berger) and Tommar Wilson (Tribe).

Free tickets will be distributed the day of the show or you can reserve a seat in advance for a tax deductible donation to The Public Theater.

The cast will be joined on-stage for the finale each night by past Hair alumni.

Hair has the distinction of being the first off-Broadway musical to transfer to Broadway and it was the show that, in 1967, officially opened The Public Theater’s long-time home on Lafayette Street.

The original production of Hair premiered at The Public Theater on 17 Oct 1967 and ran for six weeks. It moved to Broadway on 29 Apr 1968 and ran for 1,873 performances.

Director Diane Paulus will be working with Scenic Consultant Scott Pask, Costume Designer Michael McDonald, Lighting Designer Michael Chybowski, Sound Design by the team of Acme Sound Partners, Movement Coordinator Karole Armitage, and Music Director Rob Fisher to create the “summer of love.”

(For tickets and more information click here)