A number of stage favorites who formed the spiritual “tribe” that comprised the Public's 2008 outdoor presentation of Hair and/or the 2009 Broadway revival will reunite for a benefit celebrating the musical’s 50th anniversary. The performance will take place October 25 as Jazz at Lincoln Center's Frederick P. Rose Hall.
Spring Awakening and Hamilton Tony nominee Jonathan Groff will lead the benefit cast as Claude, reprising his performance from the Public's Shakespeare in the Park staging. Completing the core trio are Will Swenson as Berger and Frozen-bound Caissie Levy as Sheila. The two co-starred in the 2009 Broadway revival, with Swenson earning a Tony nomination for his performance.
The cast will also include a number of Hair alums: Allison Case as Crissy, Kacie Sheik as Jeanie, Bryce Ryness as Woof, and Darius Nichols as Hud. Rounding out the tribe are Ato Blankson-Wood, Steel Burkhardt, Lauren Elder, Anthony Hollock, Kaitlin Kiyan, Andrew Kober, Megan Lawrence, Nicole Lewis, John Moauro, Brandon Pearson, Megan Reinking, Paris Remillard, Maya Sharpe, and Tommar Wilson.
The musical, exploring the connections of a group of free-spirited hippies in New York against the backdrop of the Vietnam War, premiered as the inaugural production at the Public's downtown home in 1967.
The James Rado, Gerome Ragni, and Galt MacDermot musical returned to the Public first in 2007 for a three-night concert version, helmed by Diane Paulus. The director staged a full production at the Delacorte Theater the following year, and in 2009, it transfered to Broadway's Al Hirschfeld Theatre.
