Surprising Celebrities Who Began Their Careers in HAIR

Do you have a burning Broadway question? Dying to know more about an obscure Broadway fact? Broadway historian and self-proclaimed theatre nerd Jennifer Ashley Tepper is here to help with Broadway Deep Dive. BroadwayWorld is accepting questions from theatre fans like you. If you're lucky, your question might be selected as the topic of her next column!

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This time, the reader question was: Which future stars like Diane Keaton appeared in the original Broadway production of Hair?

On October 11th, the iconic star of stage and screen Diane Keaton passed away. A large number of tributes poured in to the much admired actor—both dedicated to her incredible talent and also to her inspiring life and personality behind the scenes. While Keaton became known worldwide for her indelible performances in films like The Godfather (1972), Annie Hall (1977), Baby Boom (1987) Father of the Bride (1991), The First Wives Club (1996), Something’s Gotta Give (2003), The Family Stone (2005), and many more, she got her start in show business on the Broadway stage. 

Diane Keaton made her Broadway debut in the original Broadway production of Hair at the age of 22. The landmark musical started out at The Public Theater off-Broadway in 1967 before transferring to the Biltmore Theatre on Broadway in 1968. Keaton joined the cast for the Broadway run, originating her track in the show. She also understudied the lead role of Sheila and when original Sheila Lynn Kellogg left Hair after three months, Keaton took over, singing “Easy To Be Hard” and the rest of the score until the end of the year. She gave an interview to the press at the time stating that her promotion from ensemble member to principal in Hair gave her a raise that allowed her to move into a better apartment—that still had a bathtub in the kitchen and a toilet down the hall. 

Hair was Keaton’s only musical on Broadway; early the following year she went right into Play It Again, Sam, a new play by Woody Allen who would become her partner and frequent collaborator for a time. Keaton was nominated for a 1969 Tony for her portrayal of Linda Christie, a married woman who becomes romantically entangled with her husband’s Best Friend (played by Allen). Keaton and Allen both reprised their role in the 1972 film adaptation. After Broadway’s Play It Again, Sam, Keaton left the stage for the screen, where she thrived in a large variety of roles for the next six decades. 

Keaton was not the only future star who got her start in the original production of the tribal rock musical with book and lyrics by Gerome Ragni and James Rado and music by Galt MacDermot. Hair ran at the Biltmore from 1968 to 1972 and during that time many tribe members welcomed the dawning of the age of Aquarius who later went on to extraordinary careers in the performing arts. The nature of the show, featuring a large number of talented young performers with voices that echoed the direction where music was going, made for a significant amount of future stars.

From the original cast of Hair, another future star was Paul Jabara. Jabara was in Hair from its off-Broadway beginnings onward and originated his role within the ensemble as Mother/ General Grant. A few years later, he wrote and starred in Broadway’s first disco musical, the infamous Rachael Lily Rosenbloom… and don’t you ever forget it! which became one of only seven Broadway musicals to ever close during previews. Jabara went on to write several major hits, including “Last Dance”, “It’s Raining Men”, and “No More Tears (Enough is Enough)”. He won a Grammy and an Academy Award for his songwriting.

Like Jabara, Jonelle Allen was in the original Public Theater cast of Hair but unlike Jabara, Allen did not move with the show to Broadway. However Allen did go on to earn a Tony Award nomination for originating the role of Silvia in the musical version of Two Gentlemen of Verona on Broadway in 1971. Off-Broadway’s original Dionne has also been a regular on several television series including Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman. 

Another member of the original Broadway tribe, Leata Galloway, might not have a name as widely recognized, but she followed Hair with seven other Broadway shows, mostly in principal roles. Unfortunately, a majority of these were rock musicals which sought to continue the success Hair had, but which closed quickly. Galloway was one of a small number of Hair alumni from Broadway who appeared in the 1979 film adaptation.

Hair’s original Dionne on Broadway in 1968 was Melba Moore, who also later appeared in the film as a soloist. In 1969, she moved on to the role of Sheila on Broadway. The following year, she originated the role of Lutiebelle in the new musical Purlie, singing the title song and winning a Tony Award, a Drama Desk Award, and the Theatre World Award for her exuberant performance. Additionally, she became a recording artist of songs in a diverse variety of genres, from R&B to disco to funk. 

Ronnie Dyson was a member of Hair’s original Broadway tribe who also achieved success on the music charts. His hit “(If You Let Me Make Love To You Then) Why Can’t I Touch You?” rocked the airwaves in 1970. The song was from a musical called Salvation, written by another Hair alum, Peter Link. (More on him later.) Dyson also soloed in the Hair film and recorded a number of other albums.

While not seen on stage, Abe Jacob is one of Hair’s greatest shot-to-stardom stories. Jacob is a legendary sound designer, referred to as “the Godfather of sound”. When the sound of Broadway changed, due to both new genres of music coming into play and the increasing popularity of microphones and other technology, Jacob was at the forefront of incorporating these changes into Broadway productions. After making his Broadway debut consulting on and creating the sound of Hair, the show that broke the doors open for rock musicals on Broadway, Jacob went on to sound design dozens of Broadway shows and alter the way sound design works on stage. 

Hair was not the only credit for any of its writers; Rado, Ragni, and MacDermot all went on to varied other projects. MacDermot had the most ongoing success as a prolific composer of shows following Hair including Two Gentlemen of Verona, which won the Tony Award for Best Musical in 1972, Dude and Via Galactica, back-to-back big budget flops which made audiences question the future of the rock musical on Broadway, and The Human Comedy, a lost masterwork American pop opera which, like Hair, premiered at the Public.

Also in an off-stage role during the original production of Hair was Daniel Sullivan. The future Tony Award winner and eight-time Tony nominee made his creative Broadway debut as the assistant director of Hair. Sullivan later directed the original Broadway productions of I’m Not Rappaport, The Heidi Chronicles, Conversations with My Father, The Sisters Rosensweig, Proof, Sight Unseen, Rabbit Hole, and many more. Much of Sullivan’s work has been at the Biltmore Theatre, where Hair played, which is now the Friedman and is owned by Manhattan Theatre Club. 

Beyond the original cast, the original production of Hair counted many future stars in their fields among its replacement cast members over the years. Paul Jabara wasn’t the only Hair cast member who went on to a career both performing and writing songs. Peter Link, a replacement Berger became a two-time Tony Award nominee for Best Original Score and wrote a number of original musicals that played on and off Broadway, including Salvation and King of Hearts. Making his Broadway debut in Hair as a tribe member was Meat Loaf. He first appeared in the Los Angeles cast of the show and tried to start a career as a recording artist before joining the company in New York. Meat Loaf would also appear in The Rocky Horror Show and Rockabye Hamlet on Broadway and eventually achieve a long and extremely successful career as a recording artist and concert performer. His hit songs included “I’d Do Anything For Love” and “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now”. Replacement Claude and Woof Robin McNamara later became a singer-songwriter and recording artist whose songs include the hit “Lay a Little Lovin’ On Me”. 

Melba Moore wasn’t the only Hair original production alumni to later win a Tony Award. Several of Hair’s replacement actors went on to win Tony Awards for performances as well. Delores Hall, a replacement Dionne, won the 1977 Tony for her glorious performance in the Gospel of St. Matthew-inspired Your Arms Too Short To Box With God. She also originated the role of Jewel in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. Ben Vereen made his Broadway debut in Hair, appearing in the Los Angeles, Broadway, and national touring productions in his early 20s. He played the roles of Claude, Berger, and Hud, years before becoming a Tony Award winner for his turn as the Leading Player in Pippin. 

Another replacement in Hair who went on to originate an iconic role on Broadway was Kay Cole. Cole was a replacement Crissy and Jeanie, singing “Frank Mills” and “Air” years before originating the role of Maggie in A Chorus Line, singing “At The Ballet”. Replacement Woof and Claude Keith Carradine would later croon the role of Will Rogers in The Will Rogers Follies, as well as become known for singing “I’m Easy”, which he wrote, in the film Nashville. Heather MacRae was a replacement Sheila long before she was the original Charlotte in the Broadway bow of Falsettos. 

Another tribe member who made her mark on screen following her time in Hair was Marta Heflin. Heflin appeared on Broadway several times after being a replacement Sheila, including a stint as Mary Magdalene in the original production of Jesus Christ Superstar and originating the role of Edna in Come Back to the 5 & Dime Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean. But she’s better known for her performances in several Robert Altman films including the screen adaptation of Come Back to the 5 & Dime Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean as well as A Perfect Couple and A Wedding. 

A replacement Jeanie, Dale Soules has made her mark since then on stage and screen. Soules later originated the role of Cal in the Stephen Schwartz-scored hit The Magic Show on Broadway, becoming the first to sing “Lion Tamer” and “West End Avenue”. She has been an unforgettable part of television shows like Orange is the New Black, where she played Freida.

Hattie Winston, a replacement Dionne, went on to play a number of leading roles on Broadway including originating parts in The Me Nobody Knows and The Tap Dance Kid. She became a two-time Obie Award winner and acclaimed television actor known for shows including children’s programs The Electric Company and Rugrats, where she voiced the character of Lucy. Winston also had recurring roles on Becker and Scrubs.