HAIR

A TAMS-WITMARK TITLE

HAIR

Full-Length Musical, Dramatic Comedy  /  4w, 5m plus ensemble

The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical
Book and Lyrics by Gerome Ragni & James Rado
Music by Galt MacDermot

Produced for the Broadway stage by Michael Butler
Originally Produced by the New York Shakespeare Festival Theatre

Let the sunshine in! HAIR, the groundbreaking Grammy and Tony Award-winning hit musical, remains relevant as ever as it celebrates community, identity, politics, peace, and what it means to be a young person in a changing world.

Image: 2009 Broadway Production (Joan Marcus)

  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    4w, 5m plus ensemble
  • Duration
    Duration
    More than 120 minutes (2 hours)
  • SubGenre
    Subgenre
    Period
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Adult, Pre-Teen (Age 11 - 13), Teen (Age 14 - 18)
Accolades
Accolades
  • Winner! 1968 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Music
    Winner! 1969 Grammy Award for Best Score from an Original Cast Show Album
    Nominee: Two 1969 Tony Awards, including Best Musical
    Winner! 2009 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical
    Winner! 2009 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Revival of a Musical
HAIR

Details

Summary
The American tribal love rock musical HAIR celebrates the sixties counterculture in all its barefoot, long-haired, bell-bottomed, beaded and fringed glory. To an infectiously energetic rock beat, the show wows audiences with songs like "Aquarius," "Good Morning, Starshine," "Hair," "I Got Life" and "Let The Sunshine In." Exploring ideas of identity, community, global responsibility and peace, HAIR remains relevant as ever as it examines what it means to be a young person in a changing world.
History

HAIR debuted off-Broadway at Joseph Papp's Public Theater on 17 October 1967. The show was an instant sensation, moving to a second venue and playing 144 performances. On 29 April 1968, HAIR opened on Broadway at the Biltmore Theatre, starring James Rado, Gerome Ragni, Lynn Kellogg and Melba Moore. Breaking all theatre conventions, the show made national headlines and played for 1,750 performances. The show returned to Broadway in 1977 and in 2009, starring Gavin Creel, Will Swenson, Caissie Levy and Sasha Allen.

For more about the genesis of the show, read James Rado's essay, “The Origin of HAIR.

Act I

In the age of “Aquarius,” a time of harmony and understanding, a tribe of hippies gathers onstage. George Berger, the tribe’s most expressive member, addresses the audience directly and explains that he seeks his ideal woman (“Donna”). Members of the tribe mock racism  (“Colored Spade”) and celebrate diversity (“I’m Black”).

Claude, the moral center of the group, explains his dream of living in “Manchester, England” while others lament - or brag about - their lack of privilege and possessions (“Ain’t Got No”). Sheila Franklin, an NYU student and antiwar protestor, declares “I Believe in Love,” and Jeanie, an idealistic, pregnant environmentalist, satirizes the world’s deteriorating “Air.”

Berger recounts his recent banishment from high school in “Goin’ Down.” Claude reveals that he has been drafted, but he and Berger choose to reject their draft notices, and instead celebrate their “Hair.” (“Give me a head with hair, long beautiful hair, shining, gleaming, steaming, flaxen, waxen...”)

Sheila gives Berger a new yellow shirt, but he cruelly spurns her gift. She reminds him that he’s quick to feel empathy for the masses, but he comes up short in personal relationships (“Easy to Be Hard”).

As the flower children are leaving to attend a Be-In, one girl, Crissy, alone in her thoughts, sings of a boy she once met and of her longings to meet him again (“Frank Mills”). At the “Be-In,” the boys all burn their draft cards in an anti-war demonstration. Claude begins to toss his card to the fire, but changes his mind and removes it, wondering how he fits in to this changing world (“Where Do I Go?”).

Act II

During a drug-induced hallucination (“Walking in Space”), Claude visualizes George Washington retreating, Indians shooting white men, famous American characters being attacked by African shamans, Abraham Lincoln patronizing American slaves, and stylized mass murders. After the violence, Claude sees his parents and a sergeant beaming with pride over his enrollment in the U. S. Army. They fade from view, replaced by the flower children who turn into horrible monsters and start killing one another; directing their aggressive actions towards Claude (“Three-Five-Zero-Zero”). Two tribe members, observing this scene of destruction, wonder “What a Piece of Work Is Man.”

Claude realizes that once he’s inducted into the Army, he will miss all of life’s simple pleasures (“Good Morning, Starshine” and “The Bed”), and he exits with a feeling of doom “Ain’t Got No (Reprise).”

Claude soon re-enters, stiffly dressed in a military uniform, but his friends are unable to see or hear him as he sings of his regrets (“The Flesh Failures”). Separated from his tribe and presumably killed in the war, Claude lies on his back, motionless. The tribe, seeking hope in the wake of loss, sings “Let the Sunshine In.”

Principals
(4 female; 5 male)

Berger
Woof
Hud
Claude
Jeanie
Dionne
Crissy
Sheila
Margaret Mead

Other Members of the Tribe
Ronny
Leata
Paul
Walter
Steve
Hiram
Suzannah
Mary
Emmaretta
Diane
Marjorie
Linda
Natalie

… who play the following characters in the course of the show:

3 Moms, 3 Dads, 3 High School Principals, 2 Policemen,
Electric Blues Quartet (Oldsters),
White Girls Trio,
Black Boys Trio,
“The Supremes” Trio,
Army Sergeant, Abraham Lincoln, John Wilkes Booth, Calvin Coolidge, Clark Gable,
Scarlett O’Hara, Aretha Franklin, Colonel Custer, Shoeshine Boy,
3 Buddhist Monks, 1 Thousand-Year-Old Monk, 3 Catholic Nuns,
3 Astronauts, 3 Chinese, 3 Guerillas, 1 Native American Indian,
Hubert
and Others

The original Broadway production had a cast of 23 performers, including chorus. Doubling was employed as indicated above.

  • Time Period 1960s
  • Setting New York City. 1968.
  • Features Period Costumes
  • Additional Features Local Celebrity Cameo
  • Duration More than 120 minutes (2 hours)
  • Cautions
    • Drugs
    • Strong Language
    • Mild Adult Themes
    • Nudity/Partial Nudity

Media

“A smile-inducing celebration of life and freedom.” – Joe Dziemianowicz, The Daily News

“After 50 years, HAIR has lost none of its racy style, credibility or rebellious energy. It’s a joyously vigorous, trippy and effusive festival of rock which sets out to agitate and invigorate... HAIR is bigger than ever.” – Samuel Payne, Entertainment Focus

“It is so likable. So new, so fresh, and so unassuming...the frankest show in town... the show is the first Broadway musical in some time to have the authentic voice of today rather than the day before yesterday.” – Clive Barnes, The New York Times

“Though much has changed between 1968 and 2018, HAIR continues to be relevant. Many of the cultural divides that began to express themselves in 1968 seem to still exist today...Perhaps this is why HAIR has continued to be produced so frequently.” – Peter Libbey, The New York Times

HAIR is more than just a musical: it is a social and cultural phenomenon, a jubilant assertion of life and freedom and a cry of protest...a vibrant, joyous piece of living theatre.” – Michael Billington, The Guardian

ON BREAKING CHARACTER

The Origin of HAIR
by Co-Creator James Rado

Videos

  • HAIR – 2009 Broadway Highlights youtube thumbnail

    HAIR – 2009 Broadway Highlights

  • HAIR – 1969 Tony Awards youtube thumbnail

    HAIR – 1969 Tony Awards

  • HAIR – 2009 Broadway youtube thumbnail

    HAIR – 2009 Broadway

  • HAIR – BB Promotion 2020 youtube thumbnail

    HAIR – BB Promotion 2020

Photos

  • HAIR

    Image: 2009 Broadway Production (Joan Marcus)

  • HAIR

    Image: 2009 Broadway Production (Joan Marcus)

  • HAIR

    Image: Sam Norkin

Music

Music Samples

Act I

1. Aquarius” – Ronny & Tribe
2. Donna” – Berger & Tribe
3. Hashish” – Tribe
4. Sodomy” – Woof & Tribe
5. Colored Spade” – Hud, Woof, Berger, Claude & Tribe
6. Manchester, England” – Claude & Tribe
7. “I'm Black” – Hud, Woof, Berger, Claude & Tribe
8. “Ain't Got No” – Woof, Hud, Dionne & Tribe
9. “Dead End” – Quartet
10. I Believe in Love” – Sheila & Trio
11. “Ain’t Got No Grass” – Tribe
12. Air” – Jeanie with Crissy & Dionne
13. “Initials” – Tribe
14. “Kama Sutra” – Orchestra
15. “1930’s” – Berger
16. “Manchester II” – Claude & Tribe
17. I Got Life” – Claude & Tribe
18. Going Down” – Berger & Tribe
19. “Freak Out” – Orchestra
20. Hair” – Claude, Berger & Tribe
21. My Conviction” – Margaret Mead (Tourist Lady)
22. “Sheila Franklin” – Tribe
23. Easy to Be Hard” – Sheila
24. “Hung Up” – Tribe
25. Don't Put It Down” – Berger, Woof & Male Tribe Member
26. Frank Mills” – Crissy
27. Be-In (Hare Krishna)” – Tribe
28. Where Do I Go?” – Claude & Tribe

Act II

29. “Electric Blues” – Quartet
30. “Oh Great God Of Power” – Tribe
31. “Manchester III” – Tribe
32. “Black Boys” – White Girls Trio & Black Boys Trio
33. “White Boys” – The Supremes Trio, White Girls Trio & Tribe
34. “Walking In Space” – Dionne, Steve, Leata, Jeanie, Sheila & Tribe
35. “General Washington” – Orchestra
36. “Indian Music” – Percussion
37. “Minuet” – Orchestra
38. “African Drums” – Percussion
39. “Abie, Baby” – Trio (Hud & Two Boys)
40. The War” – 1000-Year-Old Monk, 3 Monks, 3 Nuns & Tribe
“Give Up All Desires”
“Instrumental”
“Roll Call”
“Children’s Games”
41. Three-Five-Zero-Zero” – Tribe
42. “What A Piece of Work Is Man” – Ronny & Walter
43. “How Dare They Try” – Tribe
44. “Good Morning, Starshine” – Sheila & Tribe
45. “The Bed” – Tribe
46. Reprise: Ain’t Got No” – Claude & Tribe
47. “The Flesh Failures (Let The Sun Shine In)” – Tribe
48. “Eyes, Look Your Last” – Claude, Sheila, Dionne & Tribe
49. “Hippie Life” – Claude, Berger, Two Indian Women & Tribe
50. “Exit Music” – Orchestra

Reed (Baritone Saxophone, Flute, Piccolo & Clarinet)
Trumpet 1
Trumpet 2
Trumpet 3 (optional)
Trombone (optional)
Bass (electric)
Drums (trap drum set)
Percussion: (Bongo Drums, Conga Drum, Bell Tree, Marimba, Tambourine, Wood Block, Temple Blocks, Cabasa, Maracas, Gong, Siren, Castanets, Ratchet, Slapstick, Indian Drums (optional), Quica (Lion’s roar), Claves, Tubose (Scraper), Tower Clock Chime SFX)
Guitars 1 & 2 (Guitar 1 - Acoustic & Electric / Guitar 2 - Electric & Bass)
Piano (Electric Piano or Synthesizer)

  • Musical Style Pop/Rock
  • Dance Requirements Moderate
  • Vocal DemandsModerate
  • Orchestra Size Small/Combo
  • Chorus Size Large

Licensing & Materials

  • Licensing fees and rental materials quoted upon application.

Music Rentals

Concord offers a full suite of resources to help you put on the show of a lifetime!
25 Libretto-Vocal Book
1 Piano-Conductor
1 Reed
1 Trumpet 1
1 Trumpet 2
1 Trumpet 3
1 Trombone
1 Percussion
1 Drums
1 Guitar 1&2
1 Bass
25 Libretto-Vocal Book
1 Piano-Conductor

Add-Ons

Take a look below at how you can enhance your show!

Authors

James Rado

James Rado (1932-2022) was an actor, songwriter and co-creator of the characters, story, dialogue and lyrics of HAIR. His daydream, since he was a teenager, was to write a Broadway musical. He taught himself how to write lyrics from intense study of Rodgers & Hammerstein, Rod ...

View full profile

Gerome Ragni

Gerome Ragni (1935-1991) From Pittsburgh PA, Gerome was the youngest of a large family with six sisters and two brothers. After four years as a medic in the United States Air Force, he began acting and was recognized by winning the Barter Theatre Award as Outstanding Young Ac ...
View full profile

Galt MacDermot

Galt MacDermot (1928-2018). Two-time Grammy and Tony Award-winning composer Galt MacDermot is best known for the music he wrote for the Broadway scores of HAIR and Two Gentlemen of Verona. He garnered his first Grammy for the song "African Waltz" in 1960. His work spans the g ...

View full profile

Now Playing

Related