Broadway Revival of Hair to Close June 27 | Playbill

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News Broadway Revival of Hair to Close June 27 The Tony Award-winning revival of Hair, the iconic 1968 rock musical about peace and free-love that changed Broadway's musical landscape, will close June 27 at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre after playing 29 preview performance and 519 regular performances.
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Hair stars Ace Young and Diana DeGarmo Photo by Joan Marcus

The news of the conclusion of the Broadway run follows the May 28 announcement that the West End production would shutter Sept. 4. With members of the Broadway revival cast in tow, Hair opened to strong reviews in London but failed to ignite the box office. A U.S. tour will launch in October at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

The closing news is bittersweet: The Broadway production will celebrate its 500th performance June 11 and will offer 500 free tickets to the first fans in line outside the Al Hirschfeld Theatre when the box office opens at 10 AM. Each individual may receive one ticket.

"It's been an amazing run," said Public Theater artistic director Oskar Eustis in a statement. "Three years ago we started this revival, free in Central Park, and over the last three years we've elected Obama, marched for equality, and Hair's message of peace and love has been embraced by hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers. As we bid farewell to New York and head out on the road, we want to thank this community that has given us so much. We started free, and we're ending free. Thank you New York and hello America."

Directed by Tony Award nominee Diane Paulus, the revival of Hair began life in 2007 as 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, where it opened to rave reviews March 31, 2009. The revival recouped its initial investment of $5.76 million in August 2009.

The Broadway revival cast of Hair currently features "American Idol" contestants Diana DeGarmo as Sheila and Ace Young as Berger; as well as Annaleigh Ashford (Wicked, Legally Blonde) as Jeanie, Jeannette Bayardelle (The Color Purple) as Dionne, Vanessa Ray as Crissy, Kyle Riabko (Spring Awakening) as Claude, Wallace Smith as Hud and Jason Wooten as Woof. Completing the company are Justin Badger, Nicholas Belton, Larkin Bogan, Natalie Bradshaw, Catherine Brookman, Briana Carlson-Goodman, Antwayn Hopper, Jay Armstrong Johnson, Rachel Bay Jones, Mykal Kilgore, Josh Lamon, Nicole Lewis, Anastacia McClesky, Paris Remillard, Arbender Robinson, Kate Rockwell, Cailan Rose, Rashidra Scott, Jen Sese, Lawrence Stallings, Terrance Thomas, Emma Zaks and Lee Zarrett.

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.

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.

The revival earned the 2009 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical. The critically acclaimed production also earned Tony nominations for Best Direction (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 has book and lyrics by the late Gerome Ragni and James Rado and music by Galt MacDermot. The premiere production was the first indoor show produced by the Public Theater (at the time known as the New York Shakespeare Festival), inaugurating the Public's current Lafayette Street address. Under the direction of Gerald Freeman, Hair premiered at the Public Oct. 17, 1967, and ran for six-weeks, prior to transferring to the Cheetah discotheque, where it ran through January of 1968.

The Al Hirschfeld Theatre is located at 302 West 45th Street. For further information visit HairBroadway.

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The cast of Hair
 
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