Every day is opening night.

FOR RELEASE ON WEDNESDAY, JUNE 9, 2010

NATIONAL TOUR KICKS OFF THIS OCTOBER
IN WASHINGTON, DC

New York, NY – HAIR: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical will play its final performance on Sunday, June 27 at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre, having recouped its entire investment and generating a profit, the show’s producers announced today. U.S. audiences will still be able to delight in this Tony Award-winning, landmark production, as it heads from coast-to-coast in its previously announced First National Tour beginning October 2010 in Washington, DC (see attached for schedule of announced cities). Many of the members of the current Broadway ‘Tribe’ and London ‘Tribe’ will take part in the tour.

In the spirit of The Public Theater and as a ‘Thank You’ to the people of New York, the producers of HAIR will be offering 500 FREE tickets to this Friday evening’s 500th performance. The first five-hundred fans in line at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre (302 West 45th Street, NYC) when the box office opens at 10:00 AM on Friday, June 11, will each receive a free ticket to that evening’s performance.

In a statement, Oskar Eustis, Artistic Director of the Public Theater said: “It's been an amazing run. Three years ago we started this revival, free in Central Park, and over the last three years we've elected Obama, marched for equality, and HAIR's message of peace and love has been embraced by hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers. As we bid farewell to New York and head out on the road, we want to thank this community that has given us so much. We started free, and we're ending free. Thank you New York and hello America.”

HAIR is the winner of the 2009 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical, and was similarly honored by The Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and The Drama League.

Directed by Diane Paulus and choreographed by Karole Armitage (both Tony Award nominated for their work), HAIR features a book and lyrics by Gerome Ragni and James Rado and music by Galt MacDermot. HAIR began preview performances on March 6, 2009 at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre and opened to rave reviews on March 31, 2009. By the time HAIR closes, it will have played 29 preview performance and 519 regular performances, making it one of the longest-running Broadway revivals in the last decade. Before embarking on its Broadway run, this production debuted in Central Park as a staged 40th Anniversary concert and was part of The Public Theater’s 2008 Shakespeare in the Park season. A London production, featuring the original Broadway cast, opened in April 2010 and is still playing at the West End’s Gielgud Theatre.

After setting a new box office record at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre, and later breaking its own record, HAIR went on to become one of the fastest recouping musicals in Broadway history. It recouped its entire $5,760,000 investment just four months after opening.

Taking the show’s central message to heart, the production has championed a number of social causes throughout its run. In October 2009, HAIR’s producers made the unprecedented decision to cancel a weekend performance so that the entire cast could have the opportunity to march on Washington in the National Equality March, advocating for gay rights (a cause for which the production also held a rally in Los Angeles and performed at a rally in Times Square). The production partnered with City Harvest to collect canned food at the 2010 open casting call. Recently, it partnered with Bumble and bumble to throw a “Cut-In,” offering free haircuts and donating all hair clippings to the oil leak clean-up effort in the Gulf Coast. HAIR also supported a number of environmental initiatives, including creating a line of eco-friendly merchandise.

One of the most talked about and raved about productions to hit Broadway in years, HAIR has been featured in a slew of National television appearances. The cast performed on “Good Morning America” as part of the 2009 Summer Concert Series. On “The Late Show with David Letterman,” the cast recreated the original Broadway production’s 1968 “Ed Sullivan Show” performance in the exact same studio. HAIR was the only Broadway production ever to appear on “The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien.” HAIR also did nationally televised performances on the 2009 “Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade” and in Times Square on New Year’s Eve 2010. Most recently, HAIR appeared on “Live with Regis & Kelly,” when Kelly Ripa joined the tribe for a performance of “Aquarius.” In March 2010, Mayor Michael Bloomberg chose HAIR as the basis for his spoof musical “MAIR,” in which he performed with cast members at his annual Inner Circle Dinner.

The story of a group of young Americans searching for love and peace during the Vietnam era, HAIR is a timeless portrait of a movement that changed the world. Its groundbreaking rock score paved the way for some of the greatest musicals of our time. The “Age of Aquarius” dawns again in this jubilant production.

The creative team also includes Scott Pask (scenic design), Michael McDonald (costume design), Kevin Adams (lighting design) and Acme Sound Partners (sound design).

HAIR is presented on Broadway by The Public Theater (Oskar Eustis, Artistic Director; Andrew D. Hamingson, Executive Director) Jeffrey Richards, Jerry Frankel, Gary Goddard Entertainment, Kathleen K. Johnson, Nederlander Presentations, Inc., Fran Kirmser Productions/Jed Bernstein, Marc Frankel, Broadway Across America, Barbara Manocherian/WenCarLar Productions, JK Productions/Terry Schnuck, Andy Sandberg, JAM Theatricals, The Weinstein Company / Norton Herrick, Jujamcyn Theaters, Joey Parnes, and by special arrangement with Elizabeth Ireland McCann.

Tickets for HAIR (starting at $37.00) are available via Telecharge.com or by calling (212) 239-6200. The schedule is as follows: Tuesday at 7:00 p.m., Wednesday at 2:00 & 8:00 p.m., Thursday – Friday at 8:00 p.m., Saturday at 2:00 & 8:00 p.m. and Sunday at 3:00.

HAIR also offers a pre-performance ticket lottery for box-seat tickets, aptly renamed “BE-IN BOXES.” Those wishing to purchase these tickets are asked to show up at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre 2 1/2 hours before each performance for a drawing that will take place 2 hours before curtain. For every performance, a limited number of audience members will receive $25 “be-in box” tickets, promising to make their experience of the show both affordable and unique. Limit one entry per person, and two tickets per entry. Winners must be present at the time of the drawing and show valid ID to purchase tickets. Tickets can be purchased from the box office in cash only.

Ghostlight Records’ New Broadway Cast Recording of HAIR (2010 Grammy Award nominee) is available in stores throughout the world, and has been released as a limited edition re-mastered vinyl LP.

www.hairbroadway.com
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HAIR
FIRST NATIONAL TOUR SCHEDULE

New Haven, CT (Shubert) October 21-24, 2010
Washington, DC (Kennedy Center Opera House) October 25-November 21, 2010
Seattle, Washington (Paramount) November 28-December 5, 2010
Tempe, Arizona (Gammage) December 6-December 12, 2010
Portland, OR (Keller) December 27-January 2, 2011
Los Angeles, CA (Pantages) January 3-23, 2011
Costa Mesa, CA (OCPAC) January 24-February 6, 2011
Pittsburgh, PA (Heinz Hall) February 14-20, 2011
Milwaukee, WI (Marcus Center/Uihlein Hall) February 21-27, 2011
Minneapolis, MN (Orpheum) February 28-March 6, 2011
Chicago, IL (TBA) March 8-20, 2011
Boston, MA (Colonial) March 21-April 10, 2011
Hershey, PA (Hershey Theater) April 11-17, 2011
Hartford, CT (Bushnell PAC) April 25-May 1, 2011
Schenectady, NY (Proctors) May 2-8, 2011
Durham, NC (Durham PAC) May 9-15, 2011
Atlanta, GA (Fox) May 16-22, 2011
Tampa, FL (TBPAC) May 23-29, 2011
Miami, FL (Arscht) May 30-June 5, 2011
Ft. Lauderdale, FL (Broward Center) June 6-19, 2011
Orlando, FL (Bob Carr PAC) June 20-26, 2011