Columbia College Chicago Theatre alums are in the cast and creative team of Kokandy Productions‘ staging of Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical, running July 2 through September 13 at the Chopin Theatre, located at 1543 W. Division in Chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood. Student discounts are available. For more information and tickets, click here.
This production of the groundbreaking rock musical – which was first produced on Broadway in 1968 after an off-Broadway 1967 run as the inaugural production at Joseph Papp‘s Public Theatre in New York City – celebrates the 1960s counterculture in all its barefoot, long-haired, bell-bottomed, beaded and fringed glory. To an infectiously energetic rock beat, the show features 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 examines what it means to be a young person in a changing world and celebrates chosen family and active community, exploring how people can build support and fight for each other – no matter the generation, place or time.
With a book and lyrics by Gerome Ragni and James Rado and music by Galt MacDermot, Hair was the first Broadway musical with an all-rock score.
The show’s cast includes Columbia College alums Zac Richey ’21, a graduate of the BA Program in Musical Theatre with a Minor in Stage Combat, as Berger (the leading role originally played on Broadway by Hair coauthor Gerome Ragni); Nicki Rossi ’24, a graduate of the Acting BA program, as Jeannie; and Caitlin Dobbins ’20, a graduate of the Musical Theatre BA program, as a member of the ensemble.
On the production team, Columbia College alum Kirsten Baity ’21, who graduated Summa cum Laude with a BA in Theatre with a Playwriting concentration, is the show’s Intimacy Director.
