Photo Flash: HAIR Visits CBS' 'The Late Show With David Letterman'

The hippies once again took over The Ed SullivanTheatre, that landmark of television history, when the new Broadway cast of HAIR made its national television debut with a performance on CBS' "The Late Show With David Letterman" on Thursday, April 30th.

It was 40 years ago this spring that the original Broadway company of HAIR made a legendary appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show," broadcast from the very same New York studio as the Letterman show. And to pay homage to that Sunday evening in television history, Diane Paulus, director of the current revival, will stage a recreation of the 1969 Sullivan show performance.

HAIR Co-creator James Rado recalled that 1969 appearance: "The network wouldn't let us do anything involving nudity, but they did let us have smoke effects and allowed us the run of the theater. I don't think Mr. Sullivan knew what to think of us, but he seemed to truly enjoy the exuberance of the young cast. It was an exciting night and, boy, did it generate a long line at the box office the following morning!"

HAIR's performance on "The Late Show with David Letterman" was broadcast Thursday, April 30 (11:35 PM-12:37 AM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

Directed by Diane Paulus and choreographed by Karole Armitage, HAIR features a book and lyrics by Gerome Ragni and James Radoand music by Galt MacDermot. HAIR began preview performances on Friday, March 6 at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre (302 West 45th Street, NYC) and opened to unanimous rave reviews on Tuesday, March 31, 2009.

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.

The full cast of HAIR includes Sasha Allen, Ato Blankson-Wood, Steel Burkhardt, Jackie Burns, Briana Carlson-Goodman, Allison Case, Gavin Creel, Lauren Elder, Allison Guinn,Chasten Harmon, Anthony Hollock, Jay Armstrong Johnson, Kaitlin Kiyan, Andrew Kober,Josh Lamon, Megan Lawrence, Caissie Levy, Nicole Lewis, Ryan Link, John Moauro, Darius Nichols, Brandon Pearson, Paris Remillard, Megan Reinking, Bryce Ryness, Michael James Scott, Saycon Sengbloh, Maya Sharpe, Kacie Sheik, Theo Stockman, Will Swenson andTommar Wilson.

HAIR is presented on Broadway by The Public Theater (Oskar Eustis, Artistic Director;Andrew D. Hamingson, Executive Director) Jeffrey Richards, Jerry Frankel, Gary GoddardEntertainment, Kathleen K. Johnson, Nederlander Presentations, Inc., Fran KirmserProductions/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.

www.HairBroadway.com

Photos by Jeffrey R. Staab/CBS

Sasha Allen and the Broadway cast of HAIR

Sasha Allen and the HAIR Tribe

The Broadway Cast of HAIR!