Full Broadway Cast Appears in West End Hair Run Date: 16 November 2009
In a West End first, the entire Broadway cast of the Public Theater’s Tony Award-winning revival of the Sixties’ self-styled “American Tribal Love Rock Musical” Hair are now confirmed to reprise their performances in the show’s transfer to London’s Gielgud Theatre (See News, 13 Nov 2009), where it opens on 14 April 2010 (previews from 1 April).
According to press materials, this is the first time that an entire Broadway cast – which includes Gavin Creel (previously seen in the West End as Bert in Mary Poppins) as Claude, Caissie Levy as Sheila and Will Swenson as Berger - has opened a musical in the West End. Tickets for Hair go on sale this Friday, 20 November 2009, priced from £17.50 to £65.
The revival is produced in London by the Public Theater, in association with British impresario Cameron Mackintosh, who also owns the Gielgud Theatre. In 1967, Hair was the show that officially opened the Public Theater’s long-time home on Lafayette Street in New York and has the distinction of being the first Off-Broadway show to transfer to Broadway, where it ran for 1,873 performances from April 1968. The musical then opened at the West End’s Shaftesbury Theatre in 1968, causing a sensation as the first musical to open after the abolition of British stage censorship care of the Lord Chamberlain.
That UK premiere production ran for 1,998 performances, only forced to close because the ceiling collapsed at the Shaftesbury Theatre. More recently in London, it was revived at the Old Vic in 1993, with a cast including Sinitta, and radically reworked in a critically acclaimed studio production in 2005at the Gate Theatre, the first musical ever mounted at the 70-seater better known for its European work. Hair was also famously made into a 1979 film, directed by Milos Forman and starring John Savage, Treat Williams and Beverley D’Angelo.
Hair on Broadway. Photos by Joan Marcus.
When Claude arrives in late 1960s New York City, he falls in with a group of hippies called the Tribe, led by Berger, who falls in love with rich girl Sheila. Their free love and drug-enhanced happiness is disrupted by Claude’s Vietnam draft orders. Hair has book and lyrics by Gerome Ragni and James Rado and music by Galt MacDermot. The score includes “Aquarius”, “Ain’t Got No”, “I Got Life”, “Good Morning Starshine” and the title song.
This production, directed by Diane Paulus, was first seen in September 2007 at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park, where its run was extended three times before it transferred to Broadway’s Al Hirschfield Theatre, where it’s still running. It won this year’s Tony Award for Best Musical Revival. Hair has scenic design by Scott Pask, costume design by Michael McDonald, lighting design by Michael Chybowski, sound design by Acme Sound Partners and choreography by Karole Armitage.
In a press statement released today, Public Theater artistic director Oskar Eustis and producer Cameron Mackintosh both explained their very personal connections to the musical in London, and why it’s more relevant than ever before.
Oskar Eustis said: “I first saw Hair as a 14-year-old runaway in London in 1972. Dancing on stage at the Shaftesbury, I started to believe there was a place in the world for me, and those like me. To bring the Public's production of Hair back to London in 2010 means more to me than I can say.”
Cameron Mackintosh added: “Little did I think when I was the production runner on the original London production of Hair in 1968 that 41 years later I would be bringing the Public Theatre’s acclaimed new production back to London complete with its extraordinary Broadway cast. “Hair” has always been far more than a musical. It’s a celebration of life, love and freedom. When it originally opened, my friends who were never interested in the theatre flocked to see it because it mirrored their own sentiments, as peace, love and anti-war feelings were being expressed all over the world. Its success was not just theatrical but social.
“So I was amazed all these years later to find myself swept away again by the joyous electric exuberance and commitment of the current Broadway cast. The rejection of the war in Vietnam has now morphed into the world’s concern at what is happening in Afghanistan. A period musical is once again as contemporary as today’s headlines, and I’m very proud to help bring this production with its wonderful company into one of my theatres.”
"Hair" is the only show that I’ve ever seen that felt like an experience. The cast aka The Tribe is excellent, the production is fantastic and the songs sound better then ever. The shows themes (Sex, War, Drugs, Race) are as relevant today as they were forty years ago. The best part is the bond that the Tribe forms with the audience. It resonates with everyone long after they’ve left the theater. I urge all theatergoers to order tickets, participate in the show and dance in the finale. You will never forget the "Hair" experience. - BobsViews
02 Jan 10
Two things: firstly, the collective name for the cast of any production of Hair is "The Tribe", therefore it makes perfect sense for the entire NY cast to come over and open this sensational production. The majority of this Tribe have been working together for over 3 years (including the original Benefit concert and the Central Park run) therefore the relationships and rapports they have built up within the team are highly unusual and something London audiences will be privileged to witness. By the very nature of the piece, this isn't a conventional cast for a musical. Furthermore when,as the show hopefully runs, a British cast takes over, a whole new "Tribe" will discover their own journeys and relationships within the piece and recreate the magic afresh. It would be inappropriate to the spirit and energy of the piece to bring over a few of the NYC principals and surround them with British newbies. The show will start off here on a tremendous high and should be well bedded in when the UK cast take over.
Secondly, this isn't entirely without precedent: in 1977 and 1983 respectively A Chorus Line and Dancin' played at Drury Lane with entirely American companies (albeit not technically the original Broadway casts) and in the former case they were replaced after a set period by a complete set of British performers. More recently, in 1996(?) the Broadway cast of Smokey Joe's Cafe brought their show to the Prince of Wales, and were phased out over a matter of months and replaced by West End performers. What is especially exciting about the Hair company coming over is that we will be getting a stunning Broadway cast at the top of their game, whereas, as the recasts of SJC and Rent in the West End proved, British performers frequently have trouble matching the sheer energy and brio of their American counterparts. - ajh
19 Nov 09
I took my daughter Juliette, aged 13, to the Old Vic 1993 version of HAIR, she put on her own HAIR at Uni in 2001, we saw the Notting Hill Gate one in 2005,where we actually met and had a lovely chat with Jim Rado! She flew to NY to see it on Broadway this year and now its back to the West End, Bring it on, can't wait. Juliette works in theatre production at the Curve theatre Leicester. - Jen Stark
18 Nov 09
OMG YES YES YES - Kate
18 Nov 09
Hmm... not pleased about the WHOLE cast comming over... maybe one or two but the WHOLE cast??? it sort of defies any sort of logic.
August: Osage County was sorta ok.. it was a limited run by a company who have worked and developed together for over 25 years and so i can excuse it artistically.. but a musical that was only in london a few years ago, in a revival in the west end... i think not... surely SURELY thats a problem for equity and other unions!? - Cassox
17 Nov 09
Well the whole HISTORY BOYS cast went to New York. And the whole AUGUST OSAGE COUNTY cast came to the National. So there are precedents. - Benet Catty
16 Nov 09
This is ridiculous! Can we take the full cast of Oliver, Billy or Sister Act to Broadway - I don't think so. How can this be allowed to happen? Aren't they taking jobs away from equally talented Brits? I have seen this production in NYC and the cast are good but there is now way you could say that you cannot cast it in London. This makes no sense. - Mr Hewitt
16 Nov 09
This is wonderful news; they are such a great team! - ajh
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