Jeffrey Richards and Jerry Frankel, the producing team that helped bring the Tony Award-winning musical Spring Awakening to Broadway, have joined forces with The Public Theater - as co-lead producers - to present the upcoming Broadway production of HAIR The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical, it was announced today by Oskar Eustis, Artistic Director of The Public Theater. Mr. Eustis also announced that Eden Espinosa will join the Broadway cast in the leading role of ‘Sheila'.
In order to accommodate the logistics of the new producing partnership, preview performances will now begin (one month later than previously announced) on Friday, March 6, with Opening Night set for Tuesday, March 31, at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre (320 West 45th Street, New York City).
In a statement, Oskar Eustis said, "We are delighted to welcome Jeffrey Richards and Jerry Frankel onto the team of HAIR. Their joyous and eager commitment has ensured that HAIR will open on Broadway and bring its message of hope and love to an audience that has shown its own passionate eagerness to embrace this show. HAIR has always been more than just a show; it's a cause. In these difficult economic times, it has been inspiring to watch the New York theater community come together around America's tribal love-rock musical and reveal that it, too, is a tribe: a tribe that will make sure HAIR lives on. We have been honored to work with Liz McCann, and are pleased that she will continue to work on the show.
The new cast members are also extraordinary additions to our production, and we are eagerly looking forward to rehearsals beginning at the end of this month."
Eustis added, "Part of the wonder of Diane Paulus' production this summer is that she revealed that HAIR is both of its time and for all time. The rapturous audiences in Central Park responded to HAIR not as a document of the past, but as a call for the future. "Let the Sun Shine In" is not a promise, it's a plea - and now more than ever America needs the values of community and solidarity and peace of which HAIR sings."
The $5.5 million production of HAIR (reported incorrectly elsewhere) will reunite most of the creative team of last summer's acclaimed Public Theater/Shakespeare in the Park staging: director Diane Paulus, set designer Scott Pask, costume designer Michael McDonald, sound designer Acme Sound Partners, and choreographer Karole Armitage. Kevin Adams has been signed to design the lighting for the Broadway production.
Recently cited on more than 25 10-BEST-OF-THE-YEAR THEATER lists, including The New York Times, New York Post, Newsday, Time Out New York, and TIME magazine, HAIR features a book and lyrics by Gerome Ragni and James Rado, and music by Galt MacDermot.
Patrons who have purchased tickets for performances prior to March 6th will have the opportunity to reschedule to another date and will receive a special gift from the producers of HAIR.
The complete producing team and entire cast of HAIR will be announced shortly.
