HAIR to Open Kokandy Productions' 2026 Season at The Chopin Theatre
Brennan Urbi directs and choreographes the production, with music direction by Kara Olander.
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Kokandy Productions will launch its 2026 Season with the revolutionary “love-rock” musical HAIR, playing July 2 – September 13, 2026 on The Chopin Theatre Mainstage, 1543 W. Division St. in Chicago. Directed and choreographed by Brennan Urbi with music direction by Kara Olander, HAIR features book and lyrics by Gerome Ragni & James Rado and music by Galt MacDermot.
Uniting for an exhilarating summer of peace, love and fury, HAIR features Gavin Rhys as Claude, Catherine Rodriguez O'Connor as Sheila, Zac Richey as Berger, Amy Yesom Kim as Crissy, Chosen Mitchell as Dionne, Stone Teselle as Woof, Nicki Rossi as Jeannie and Joshua Emmanuel as Hud with an ensemble including Diana Marilyn Alvarez, Shayla Florence, Niki-Charisse Franco, Isadora Coco Gonzalez, Wolfie J, Matteo Palm, Quinn Simmons and Kijani X.
Swings include Morgan Barber, Kevin Chlapecka, Allyriane Huq, Mizha Lee Overn, Víctór López, Jack Saunders and Maliha Sayed.
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.
Director and choreographer Brennan Urbi comments, “This is a show about chosen family and active community, exploring how we can build support and fight for each other – no matter the generation, place or time. We have a knockout cast who are ready to rock! By building today's versions of these well-known characters, we're going to find out how this iconic ‘60s score reverberates all the way to Summer 2026.”
The production team includes Eleanor Kahn (Scenic Design), Rachel Sypniewski (Costume Design), G "Max" Maxin IV (Lighting Design), Matt Reich (Sound Design), Lauren Ramos (Properties Design), Syd Genco (Makeup Design), Keith Ryan (Wig Design), Kirsten Baity (Intimacy Director), Chels Morgan (Cultural Competency Specialist), Shane Roberie (Casting Director), Nicholas Reinhart (Production Manager), Kendyl Meyer (Associate Production Manager), David Moreland (Technical Director), Lynsy Folckomer (A1), Alfonso Moreno (A2), Shelby Burgus (Stage Manager), Yasmeen "Yaz" Abiad (Assistant Stage Manager), Michael Coppola (Stage Management Intern), Scot Kokandy (Executive Producer) and Derek Van Barham (Producing Artistic Director).
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