Gossip

Gareth Gates to Star in Gary Lloyd’s 2012 Tour of Hair???

Gary Lloyd‘s international touring production of rock musical Hair will visit the UK next year starring Gareth Gates, according to an interview the singer gave on Irish television last weekend.

Speaking on RTE’s The Saturday Night Show the Pop Idol star, who was last seen in the West End playing Marius in Les Miserables, confirmed he will play Claude in the international tour, including its anticipated UK dates.

Gates’ Facebook and Twitter have subsequently been updated to confirm he will star in the show from its opening in Germany in March 2012 as well as a later four-month UK tour. Confirmed dates and further casting have still to be announced.

Director and choreograher Gary Lloyd‘s recently staged Marc Bolan musical 20th Century Boy at the New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich. His extensive West End credits include Michael Jackson tribute show Thriller Live!.

In late 1960s New York City, Claude falls in with a group of hippies called the Tribe, led by Berger. But 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 numbers such as “Aquarius”, “Ain’t Got No”, “I Got Life”, “Good Morning Starshine”, “Let the Sun Shine In” and the title song.

Hair was last seen in the West End in 2010 when the full Broadway company of the Public Theater production were transferred to the Gielgud Theatre by impresario Cameron Mackintosh. The show played a five-month run from 14 April (previews from 1 April) to 4 September 2010.