Broadway Cast of Hair Will Bow in London; New Tribe for New York

By Adam Hetrick
16 Nov 2009

Gavin Creel and Will Swenson
Gavin Creel and Will Swenson
Photo by Joan Marcus

The original Broadway cast of the Tony Award-winning revival of Hair will make its London debut when the iconic musical premieres at the West End's Gielgud Theatre on April 1, 2010.

As previously reported, Diane Paulus will re-create her Tony-nominated direction of the musical that will officially open at the Gielgud April 14, 2010. The Broadway production will welcome a new cast, who will begin performances March 9, 2010, at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre. The new cast will be announced at a later date.

"Hair is a movement, and the movement is growing. With our current Broadway company spreading the 'love' in London, I am thrilled that another 'Tribe' will be born anew next Spring, and that they will take the show to a new level here in New York," Paulus said in a statement. "With every step along the journey of making this Hair, the show has changed and grown, and it is my absolute intention to continue that process with a new cast. I am looking forward to the unleashing of a new 'Tribe' and to this next, most exciting, moment in the life of Hair."

The London production is being produced by the Public Theater with Cameron Mackintosh and Broadway Across America. Tickets will begin sale Nov. 20.

Much of the original Broadway cast have been with Hair since its 2007 debut in a special 40th anniversary concert staging at the Delacorte Theater. In 2008 the Public mounted Hair as part of Shakespeare in the Park, where the run was extended three times. The production transferred to Broadway's Al Hirschfeld Theatre March 31, 2009.

The opening night cast of Hair includes Tony nominees Gavin Creel as Claude and Will Swenson as Berger, as well as Sasha Allen as Dionne, Caissie Levy as Sheila, Allison Case as Crissy, Kacie Sheik as Jeanie, Bryce Ryness as Woof, Darius Nichols as Hud, Megan Lawrence as Mother and Andrew Kober as Margaret Mead/Dad.

Tribe members include Steel Burkhardt, Brianna Carlson, Lauren Elder, Allison Guinn, Chasten Harmon, Anthony Hollock, Jay Johnson, Josh Lamon, Ryan Link, John Moauro, Ato Blankson-Wood, Brandon Pearson, Paris Remillard, Maya Sharpe, Theo Stockman, Tommar Wilson, Jackie Burns, Kaitlin Kiyan, Nicole Lewis, Megan Reinking, Saycon Sengbloh and Michael James Scott.

The Hair creative team includes set designer Scott Pask, costume designer Michael McDonald, lighting designer Kevin Adams, sound designer Acme Sound Partners and choreographer Karole Armitage.

Featuring book and lyrics by the late Gerome Ragni and James Rado and music by Galt MacDermot, the 2009 revival of Hair earned the 2009 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical. The critically acclaimed production also earned Tony nominations for Best Direction (Diane Paulus), Best Choreography (Karole Armitage), Best Actor (Gavin Creele), Best Featured Actor (Will Swenson), Best Sound Design (Acme Sound Partners), Best Lighting Design (Kevin Adams) and Best Costume Design (Michael McDonald).

Hair is presented on Broadway by The Public Theater, Jeffrey Richards, Jerry Frankel, Gary Goddard Entertainment, Kathleen K. Johnson, Nederlander Presentations, Inc., Fran Kirmser Productions/Jed Bernstein, Marc Frankel, Broadway Across America, Barbara Manocherian/WenCarLar Productions, JK Productions/Terry Schnuck, Andy Sandberg, JAM Theatricals, The Weinstein Company/Norton Herrick, Jujamcyn Theaters, Joey Parnes and by special arrangement with Elizabeth Ireland McCann.

Visit HairBroadway.