NBC is getting ready for the Age of Aquarius: The Peacock network has announced that the 1960s classic Hair will be its next live musical event.
Officially titled Hair Live!, the production will be broadcast in the spring of 2019 in front of a live audience. Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, who’ve served as executive producers on each of NBC’s previous live musical broadcasts, will be EPs on this one as well.
Hair debuted on Broadway back in 1968, and stands as one of the most iconic chronicles of the 1960s counterculture movement. (The production caused controversy for its depictions of drug use and on-stage nudity.) The story revolves around a group of young hippies living in New York City and trying to avoid serving in the Vietnam War. The score includes chart-topping hits like “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In” and “Good Morning Starshine.”
“I’m overjoyed that James Rado and Galt MacDermot are trusting us with their masterpiece Hair, one of the most original shows ever conceived for Broadway with one of the greatest scores,” NBC entertainment chairman Robert Greenblatt said in a statement. “These songs are part of the vocabulary of popular music, and this rebellious story of young people protesting and standing up for what they believe in is as relevant today as it was 50 years ago. This will be the perfect live event, and I’m looking forward to seeing Craig and Neil, along with our partners at MGM and the original creators bring the audience to their feet as they experience these beloved songs and recognizable young characters.”
Hair follows NBC’s critically acclaimed production of Jesus Christ Superstar, which aired in April. A live production of Bye Bye Birdie starring Jennifer Lopez was announced over a year ago, but has been delayed twice since, with no airdate set.
Zac Efron for Berger?
Shining, gleaming, streaming, flaxen, waxen…
Can’t wait!
If Ms. Lopez is too busy, perhaps they should move on but I think she may be a producer.
I seen an article that said something about her considering directing it…maybe I misread the headline. I’m beginning to think her deal with NBC has some stipulation that she has to be actively involved with the production or else they have to pay her a boatload of money to go on without her involvement. It the only explanation for the constant delays as most would have recast the role by now.
Please let Treat Williams play one of the stodgy grown-ups. Please, NBC Gods.
agreed!! He has to be included! I would love to see the entire cast participate!
I trust Zadan and Meron with anything musical, but I fear the network brass will intervene and sanitise the production too much. How will they handle the drug use and nudity? Is Black Spade going to be removed or changed? Too much tinkering risks losing the essence of what made (makes) Hair special
You are so right! My first thought was of the infamous nude scene, but so many of the original song lyrics (while super fun to sing when I’m alone) would not pass the network censors.
Just as Grease left out the “moon” scene, I am sure NBC will omit the on stage nude protest scene, (on stage with the lights turned down low), and omit, or change, the lyrics of many of the more explicit songs.
Even if they use the most recent B’way version, the number of censorable song would gut the show. Just among the first 5 songs include an ode to drugs, a song about a virgin that kind of mocks Mary, an ode to sexual positions that are still banned in certain states whose title I’d get blocked from writing on this site, and another ode whose lyrics simply list black racial epithets.
L O L. No one is going to watch this.
I don’t understand why they would choose this to be part of a network production. I’ve seen the Broadway production (which was great, btw), and it’s very adult – nudity, mature songs about sex, drugs, and racial relations, etc. There’s songs titled “Hashish” and “Sodomy.” They’re going to have to edit the heck out of it, which seems besides the point of the original concept. Now I’m waiting for them to do The Book of Mormon (which was so funny yet so inappropriate at the same time).
I’m guessing no nudity, right? While I’m sure Book of Mormon would be great, I’m guessing that it will have to wait until it stops their run on Broadway.
They’ll probably have the TV version of nudity by showing them in their underwear.
This one seems to be a reach. IDT Hair has aged well, and there is to much meaningful content in the original that will have to be fudged or just cut to make it on broadcast television.
I saw Hair a few years ago on tour, and IMO it didn’t age well. Many of the songs individually are still great and always will be, but the show itself bored me.
Very dated and irrelevant, it’s an extremely safe choice for the again Boomer market.
Why tho
Two or three good songs, but the story itself isn’t very interesting. The only reason it was a “hit” in the ’60s was because it was “shocking” then. Now, not at all. I remember the Broadway musical had to be completely revamped just a few years after the initial opening because it was already dated. The Broadway revival 10 years ago won a Tony for Musical, and got a bunch of nominations. So, I guess there are those who still enjoy it. :) Perhaps NBC will completely reinvent the story. Either way, I’ll pass.
There are so many more than a few good songs, but the book has always been so inconsequential that it gets rewritten just about every time it’s produced, even going back to the 60s and 70s.
They seem to be picking musicals that Broadway has no use for anymore and every regional theater has already done decades ago.
Hairspray was very recent.
Not interested.
Why is no one doing Guys and Dolls? It isn’t overdone, could be updated a little, and I think would be a great live musical on one of the networks.
I would love to see that, too, Amanda. Great, timeless songs!
NBC – come on! What’s wrong with you folks? Literally, NO ONE is going to watch this. Quit while you’re ahead on this before you complete embarrass yourselves. As soon as I saw the headline of this story, I thought – UGH…..no interest whatsoever. And I love musicals, but not this one. West Side Story?
What’s next Oh Calcutta? Good Grief, can Across the Universe be far behind?
It’s really NOT “relevant” to today. “Hair” was a production of its time, including young people being drafted into a dubious war they didn’t understand, where organizing protests took actual effort. Today, students launch their protests AGAINST free speech, and they can do it with mere hashtags! If they want to “Hair” for nostalgia purposes, that’s one thing. Just say that.
Having heard the cast album many times as a child, I was oblivious to the adult themes, and I remember “Good Morning Starshine” being a mainstay on “Sesame Street.” But these NBC “Live Theater” productions should go for as LARGE an audience as possible, and to that end, ought to be more family-friendly.
I wish NBC or FOX would do a live version of 1776 to air on the 4th of July.
How many Houghs will they stuff into this one?