Photo Coverage: HAIR Stars Gavin Creel and Will Swenson Unveil Their Sardi's Portraits 2009/10/01

Tony Award-nominees Gavin Creel and Will Swenson joined the famed walls of Sardi's as their caricatures were unveiled on Wednesday, September 30th. Cast and friends were on hand to celebrate. The producers of HAIR recently announced the addition of six new cast members to the Tony Award-winning musical. Krystal Joy Brown, Heath Calvert, Matt DeAngelis, Rachel Bay Jones, Hannah Shankman and Ryan Watkinson have now joined the "Tribe." HAIR began preview performances on March 6 at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre (302 West 45th Street, NYC) and opened to rave reviews on March 31, 2009.

The HAIR "Tribe" also includes Sasha Allen, Ato Blankson-Wood, Steel Burkhardt, Jackie Burns, Briana Carlson-Goodman, Allison Case, Gavin Creel, Lauren Elder, Allison Guinn, Chasten Harmon, Jay Armstrong Johnson, Kaitlin Kiyan, Andrew Kober, Josh Lamon, Caissie Levy, Nicole Lewis, John Moauro, Darius Nichols, Brandon Pearson, Paris Remillard, Megan Reinking, Bryce Ryness, Michael James Scott, Maya Sharpe, Kacie Sheik, Will Swenson and Tommar Wilson.

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. Now, the "Age of Aquarius" dawns again in this jubilant new production, which is the winner of the 2009 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical. The Drama Desk, Drama League, and Outer Critics Circle also recently honored the production with their 2009 award for Outstanding Revival of a Musical. Directed by Diane Paulus and choreographed by Karole Armitage, HAIR features a book and lyrics by Gerome Ragni and James Rado and music by Galt MacDermot. 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.

Ghostlight Records' New Broadway Cast Recording of HAIR is currently available in stores and on iTunes. For more information, visit www.HairBroadway.com

Photos by Peter James Zielisnki

Audra McDonald and Will Swenson

Kacie Sheik and Caissie Levy

The lovely and talented Tribe Members of HAIR including Lauren Elder, Allison Guinn, Ato Blankson-Wood, Kaitlin Kiyan, Maya Sharpe, Paris Remillard and John Moauro

Constantine Maroulis and Will Swenson

Gavin Creel

Audra McDonald and Will Swenson

Gavin Creel and

Gavin Creel and Max Klimavicius

Gavin Creel

Gavin Creel and Max Klimavicius

Gavin Creel and Will Swenson

Gavin Creel, Max Klimavicius and Will Swenson

Will Swenson

Gavin Creel

Will Swenson

Gavin Creel and Will Swenson

Will Swenson

Will Swenson's ex-Rock of Ages co-stars Constantine Maroulis, Mitchell Jarvis, Lauren Molina, Wesley Taylor, and Angel Reed

Will Swenson

Gavin Creel

Related Links

BWW Interviews: Diane Paulus Part II - HAIR, The New Tribe, and The U.K.
Talk about a makeover. Just over one year ago, Diane Paulus was merely a freelance director with a hit on her hands. Now, that hit - Hair - is a Tony Award winning musical, and she a Tony-nominated director, newly appointed Artistic Director of one of the most prestigious regional theaters in the country (A.R.T. in Boston), and soon to be triple tasking on productions on Broadway, in London, and at her theater in Boston. Did I mention she's also a mother of two?

RIALTO CHATTER: Diana DeGarmo & Ace Young to Join New HAIR Cast on Broadway?
As HAIR readies for its Broadway makeover and London premiere, rumors are beginning to swirl as to which current cast members will be settling in across the pond and which new faces will be gracing the Broadway production. The newest reports out suggest that American Idol alumni Ace Young (season 5's seventh runner up) and Diana DeGarmo (season 3 runner up) are among the new picks for the Broadway replacement cast. No official announcement has been made by the production, although it is expected that casting announcements for London and New York are imminent, as the new Broadway performers go into rehearsal in the coming weeks.

BILLY Producers & Elton John Announce Fidelity FutureStage Playwriting Contest
Fidelity FutureStage®, the producers of Billy Elliot the Musical and Fidelity FutureStage Honorary Chairman Elton John today announced the second annual Fidelity FutureStage Playwriting Contest - a unique opportunity for area high school students to become Broadway's youngest playwrights.

HAIR Finale Dance Party Goes Global with 'HAIR eParty;' Launches Tonight, 2/2
The Tony Award-winning Broadway production of HAIR: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical is launching the "HAIR eParty," a unprecedented digital initiative designed to give audience members exciting new ways to share and relive the HAIR experience. Beginning tonight, the show's famous finale, when audience members are invited onstage for a massive communal dance party, will be digitally recorded at each performance. The video footage will then be posted on HAIR's official website (www.HairBroadway.com). Audience members will have the opportunity to find and tag themselves, and share the video with friends and family via e-mail or social networking outlets like Facebook and Twitter. Past videos will be archived and remain on HAIR's website.

Purchase Tickets

Click Here to Purchase Tickets to Hair

On BWW.TV

As an Equity actor, Peter is photographing the industry from the inside out. He has performed in numerous shows regionally, sung a duet with Richard Chamberlain in the National Tour of "Scrooge," and starred in "The Zoo Project" which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. When not on stage, he can be found photographing headshots and live theatre in NYC, Chicago and LA. As an Adobe Certified Expert in Photoshop, he also acts as a retouching artist for photographers city-wide. For more information, please visit: http://www.pjzstudios.com

Past Articles by This Author: