Theater News

Public Theater Announces 50th Anniversary Benefit Celebration of Hair

The event will feature original members of the 2008 Shakespeare in the Park production and 2009 Broadway revival.

Jonathan Groff will be participating in the Public Theater's 50th anniversary benefit celebration of Hair on October 25.
Jonathan Groff will be participating in the Public Theater's 50th anniversary benefit celebration of Hair on October 25.
(© David Gordon)

The Public Theater announced a one-night-only 50th anniversary benefit celebration of Hair, which first premiered at the Public in 1967, on Wednesday, October 25.

Diane Paulus, who directed the 2009 Broadway revival, will direct the anniversary evening, with associate director Nancy Harrington and music direction by Nadia DiGiallonardo, the original music director of the Broadway revival.

The cast will feature members of both the 2008 Shakespeare in the Park production and the Tony Award-winning 2009 Broadway revival. It will include Ato Blankson-Wood (Tribe), Steel Burkhardt (Tribe), Allison Case (Crissy), Lauren Elder (Tribe), Jonathan Groff (Claude), Anthony Hollock (Tribe), Kaitlin Kiyan (Tribe), Andrew Kober (Dad), Megan Lawrence (Mother), Caissie Levy (Sheila), Nicole Lewis (Tribe), John Moauro (Tribe), Darius Nichols (Hud), Brandon Pearson (Tribe), Megan Reinking (Tribe), Paris Remillard (Tribe), Bryce Ryness (Woof), Maya Sharpe (Tribe), Kacie Sheik (Jeanie), Will Swenson (Berger), and Tommar Wilson (Tribe).

Hair features book and lyrics by James Rado and Gerome Ragni, and music by Galt MacDermot. With a score including musical numbers as "Let the Sun Shine In," "Aquarius," "Hair," and "Good Morning Starshine," the musical follows a group of hopeful, free-spirited young people who advocate a lifestyle of pacifism and free-love in a society riddled with intolerance and brutality during the Vietnam War.