Amas Musical Theatre's 'Teen Academy' to Rock HAIR This Spring

Amas Musical Theatre's Rosetta LeNoire Musical Theatre Academy will present Hair: The American Tribal Rock Musical, the unique musical that changed the face of musical theatre during the late 1960s and became an overnight sensation.

With book and lyrics by Gerome Ragni and James Rado and music by Galt MacDermot, the musical portrays the hippie culture of America in the 1960s around the time of the US involvement with Vietnam. This new type of 'Rock' musical helped pave the way for other shows in later decades. It was one of the first 'concept' musicals and it invited the audience on a remarkable journey.

Directed by Christopher Scott, with choreography by Monica Johnson and musical direction by Evan Alparone, the production will feature 22 members of "The Teen Academy." Performances will begin on Friday, May 5, 2017 (and continue through May 13) at The Hudson Guild Theatre (441 West 26th Street - between 9th & 10th Aves). Tickets are $20 (adults) and $18 (students & seniors) and can be purchased by calling (212) 352-3101 or by visiting www.amasmusical.org. For group rates, call (212) 563-2565.

"The kids were really excited when they learned that we had chosen HAIR as this year's Academy show," says Amas Artistic Producer Donna Trinkoff. "With all that our country is going through at this time, they are happy to have the opportunity to channel their energies artistically, like the "Tribe" did over 50 years ago. So much has changed, and yet it has also remained the same."

The cast of 22 includes Teen Academy members: Cassandra Barckett, Daniella Berman, Paul Byrd, Quinn Corcoran, Elizabeth DeForest, Soli Garzon, Rose Goodman, Fofie Johnson, Nicole Klokiw, Emily Lang, Sheniece Molina, Jay Peierls, Crystal Phitts, Keylin Pugh, Michelle Richards, Logan Rozos, Cindy Simon, Theodora Sirghi, Mercedes Stewart, Amy Tolentino, Emily Viega, and Tiffany Zahariev.

The creative team includes: Josh Iacovelli (Set Design/Production Supervisor), Jason Fok (Lighting Design), Dustin Cross (Costume Design) and Kyle Conn (Production Stage Manager).

The performance schedule for Hair: The American Tribal Rock Musical is: Friday May 5 & 12 @ 7:30pm; Saturday May 6 & 13 @ 3pm & 7:30pm; Sunday May 7 & 14 @ 3:00pm.

The Rosetta LeNoire Musical Theatre Academy (formerly the "Eubie Blake Youth Theatre"), named after the famed actress Rosetta LeNoire, has been in continuous operation since the 1970s. Students from all over the Metropolitan area receive training in the performing arts from established theatre professionals. Classes include acting technique, dance and movement, and music, including theory, training and vocal technique.

The Academy has been featured in The New York Times, The New York Post, and on NY1. Theatre critic and former Drama Desk Committee Chair Peter Filichia called The Academy's production of Hello Dolly! the "Best Musical Revival of the New Season." The New York Times hailed "the Academy production of "Virtual Families" as a "spirited revival...that displayed the triple-threat talents of a teenaged multicultural ensemble..."

The Rosetta LeNoire Musical Theatre Academy is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature, the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, and by the Ampacet Corporation, the Jean and Bill Cantor Scholarship Fund, the Alexander H. Gordon M.D. Memorial Fund, PMPediatrics, and through the generous support of many individuals.

Amas Musical Theatre (Donna Trinkoff, Artistic Producer) now in its 48th year of continuous operation is New York City's award-winning pioneer in diversity and multi-ethnic casting in the performing arts since 1968. Amas ("you love" in Latin) is devoted to the creation, development and professional production of new American musicals through the celebration of diversity and minority perspectives, the emergence of new artistic talent, and the training and encouragement of underserved young people in the New York area. In recent years, Amas has emerged as a leading not-for-profit laboratory for new musicals, the most recent being Broadway and the Bard, starring Len Cariou and Red Eye of Love, which was awarded the Joseph A. Callaway Award for Outstanding Choreography. Its production of The Other Josh Cohen received six 2013 Drama Desk nominations including Outstanding Musical, a 2013 Lucille Lortel nomination for Outstanding Musical, and a 2013 Off-Broadway Alliance nomination for Best New Musical. Other shows that Amas has developed include A Taste of Chocolate, Triassic Parq, The Countess of Storyville, Distant Thunder, Marry Harry, Me and Miss Monroe, Aesop & Company, Signs of Life, Wanda's World, Shout! The Mod Musical, Lone Star Love, From My Hometown, Zanna, Don't!, 4 Guys Named Jose and Stormy Weather: Reimagining Lena Horne. Amas education programs include the Rosetta LeNoire Musical Theatre Academy, Lens on Live Theatre and in-school theatre arts residencies designed in partnership with elementary, middle, and high schools. Visit www.amasmusical.org for more.

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