Hanke To Replace Groff For Two Week 'Hair' Extension

The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Executive Director Mara Manus) announced today that Christopher J. Hanke will join the cast of HAIR: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical at the Delacorte Theater for the final two week extension of the run (August 17 to August 31, 2008). Directed by Diane Paulus with book and lyrics by James Rado and Gerome Ragni and music by Galt MacDermot, HAIR began previews Tuesday, July 22 and was extended through Sunday, August 31 with an official press opening on Thursday, August 7.

Hanke will replace Jonathan Groff in the role of Claude beginning on Sunday, August 17. Groff has a previously scheduled work commitment that precludes him from continuing with the production for the two week extension.

Christopher J. Hanke has performed leading roles on Broadway in Cry-Baby; Rent (Mark); and In My Life (J.T.). His other New York theater appearances include Golden Age (Buddy Baxter); Indian Blood reading at Lincoln Center Theater (Eddie); and The Story of My Life (Alvin) at Manhattan Theater Club's 6@6 series. He has played lead roles in the national tours of Deaf West's Big River (Tom Sawyer) and The Full Monty (Ethan). His regional credits include The Matchmaker (Barnaby), directed by Mark Lamos.

The cast for HAIR features Ato Blankson-Wood (Tribe), Steel Burkhardt (Tribe), Jackie Burns (Black Boys Trio/Tribe), Allison Case (Crissy), Lauren Elder (Tribe), Allison Guinn (Tribe), Anthony Hollock (Tribe), Kaitlin Kiyan (Tribe), Andrew Kober (Father/Margaret Mead),  Megan Lawrence (Mother), Nicole Lewis (White Boys Trio / Tribe), Caren Lyn Manuel (Sheila), Patina Renea Miller (Dionne), John Moauro (Tribe), Darius Nichols (Hud), Brandon Pearson (Tribe), Megan Reinking (Black Boys Trio / Tribe), Paris Remillard (Tribe), Bryce Ryness (Woof), Saycon Sengbloh (White Boys Trio / Tribe), Maya Sharpe (Tribe), Kacie Sheik (Jeanie), Theo Stockman (Tribe), Will Swenson (Berger), and Tommar Wilson (Tribe).

HAIR features scenic design by Scott Pask; costume design by Michael McDonald; lighting design by Michael Chybowski; sound design by ACME Sound Partners; and choreography by Karole Armitage.

HAIR was the show that, in 1967, officially opened The Public Theater's long-time home on Lafayette Street.  HAIR has the distinction of being the first off-Broadway musical to transfer to Broadway.  It moved to Broadway on April 29, 1968 and ran for 1,873 performances.

Free tickets to Shakespeare in the Park are only distributed at The Delacorte Theater in Central Park or via a new virtual line opportunity at www.publictheater.org.  The Public Theater is not distributing tickets downtown at 425 Lafayette Street due to ongoing construction on the exterior of the building.

To increase accessibility to Park shows, The Public Theater has launched a virtual line initiative this summer.  While the majority of the tickets are still given out at the line in Central Park, a limited number of tickets are available each show day online.  The virtual line allows people who are registered at The Public Theater website to log-on the day of a show (starting at midnight) to submit a request for up to two tickets.  At 1 PM, they  log-on to the theater website again to see if they have received tickets for that evening's performance.  The tickets are held at the box office and a valid photo ID is required.  The selection process is completely random and is not determined by what time of day a person submits a request for tickets.

Summer Supporter tickets for HAIR are available for a tax-deductible donation of $165. These reserved seats are only available for a limited time to ensure that the highest number of free seats will be available to distribute to the general public on the day of the show.  Summer Supporter tickets help to underwrite production expenses.  Supporter tickets are available at The Public Theater Box Office at 425 Lafayette Street; online at publictheater.org; or by calling (212) 967-7555.

Performances of HAIR are Tuesday through Sunday at 8:00 p.m. Tickets are FREE and available on the day of the performance (two per person) at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park beginning at 1:00 p.m. or via a new virtual line opportunity at www.publictheater.org beginning at 12 AM the day of the show you want to attend.  The closest entrances to the Delacorte are at 81st Street and Central Park West or 79th Street and Fifth Avenue.

For additional information about Shakespeare in the Park, call (212) 539-8750 or visit The Public Theater website at www.publictheater.org

The Public Theater (Oskar Eustis, Artistic Director; Mara Manus, Executive Director) was founded by Joseph Papp in 1954 as the Shakespeare Workshop and is now one of the nation's preeminent cultural institutions, producing new plays, musicals, productions of Shakespeare, and other classics at its headquarters on Lafayette Street and at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park.  The Public's mandate to create a theater for all New Yorkers continues to this day on stage and through its extensive outreach and education programs. Each year, over 250,000 people attend Public Theater-related productions and events at six downtown stages, including Joe's Pub, and Shakespeare in the Park. The Public has won 41 Tony Awards, 145 Obies, 39 Drama Desk Awards, 24 Lucille Lortel Awards and 4 Pulitzer Prizes. 

Photo Credit Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.

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