Gielgud Theatre Announces HAIR, Opens April 14, 2010

New York's acclaimed Public Theater, in association with Cameron Mackintosh, are delighted to announce that "HAIR", the 2009 Tony-Award winning musical, will open at the Gielgud Theatre on Wednesday 14 April 2010, following previews from 1 April. Tickets go on sale Friday 20 November 2009.

With book and lyrics by James Rado and Gerome Ragni and music by Galt MacDermot, this critically acclaimed new production of the classic 1967 musical had its run extended three times whilst playing at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park last summer before transferring to the Al Hirschfield Theatre on Broadway where it continues to play to packed houses. In 1967, "HAIR" was the show that officially opened the Public Theater's long time home on Lafayette Street and has the distinction of being the first off-Broadway show to transfer to Broadway. It moved to Broadway in April 1968, running for 1,873 performances. The ground-breaking production opened at London's Shaftesbury Theatre in 1968 causing a sensation as the first musical to open after the abolition of Lord Chamberlain (the British Censor). The production ran for 1,998 performances, only forced to close because the ceiling collapsed at the Shaftesbury Theatre.

Oskar Eustis, Artistic Director of the Public Theater said, "I first saw "Hair" as a fourteen 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 said, "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."

A celebration of life, a love letter to freedom, and a passionate cry for hope and change, "HAIR" features some of the greatest songs ever written for the stage including ‘Aquarius', ‘Good Morning Starshine', ‘Let the Sunshine In' and the title number.

When "HAIR" opens at the Gielgud Theatre next year with the entire Broadway cast, this will mark the first time that an entire original Broadway cast has opened a musical in the West End.

Directed by Diane Paulus, "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.

"HAIR" is produced in London by the Public Theater, in association with Cameron Mackintosh. The Public Theater (currently under the Artistic Directorship of Oskar Eustis) was founded by Joseph Papp in 1954 as the Shakespeare Workshop and is now one of America's pre-eminent cultural institutions, producing new plays, musicals, productions of Shakespeare, and other classics at its headquarters on Lafayette Street and at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park. The Public has won 40 Tony Awards, 145 Obies, 39 Drama Desk Awards, 24 Lucille Lortel Awards and 4 Pulitzer Prizes.
"HAIR" will have evening performances Monday - Saturday at 7.30pm and Thursday and Saturday matinees at 2.30pm. Tickets are priced £17.50 - £65 and are available from www.hairthemusical.co.uk

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