Craig Zadan and Neil Meron will executive produce the telecast with Rudzinski.
“We have the dream team to bring Hair Live! vividly to life and create another unforgettable night of live television,” said Robert Greenblatt, chairman, NBC Entertainment, in a statement. "I was at the electrifying opening night of Diane Paulus’ Tony-winning revival of Hair 10 years ago and was blown away by how relevant and utterly joyous this show became in her hands. She is one of the most successful directors working in the theatre today and we’re thrilled she will be collaborating with Alex Rudzinski, the most daring director working in live musical television. This show also has one of the great scores of all time with songs that climbed the charts 50 years ago and have since become iconic hits in our pop culture.”
Hair tells the story of peace, love, and hope, through a group of politically active hippies living a bohemian life in New York while fighting against and resisting the Vietnam War.
Casting will be announced at a later date.
The musical, featuring music by Galt MacDermot and a book and lyrics by Gerome Ragni and James Rado, premiered in 1967 at Off-Broadway's Public Theater before a Broadway transfer the following year. The 2009 revival, starring Gavin Creel, Will Swenson, and Caissie Levy, went on to win the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical. The national tour of the production played a limited Broadway engagement in 2011.
The funk/rock score includes such musical theatre standards as "Aquarius," "Good Morning Starshine," and "The Flesh Failures (Let the Sunshine In)."
Zadan and Meron are responsible for NBC's previous live musical offerings: The Sound of Music, Peter Pan, The Wiz, Hairspray, and, most recently, Jesus Christ Superstar. A long-gestating Bye Bye Birdie Live with Jennifer Lopez, initially scheduled for 2017—as well as live version A Few Good Men—have been put on the back burner.
Hair Live! will be produced by Universal Television, MGM Television, and Zadan/Meron Productions.
