HAIR 500th Performance Jon Hammond Reporting from Al Hirschfeld Theatre W. 45th St.

To mark the 500th performance of the HAIR Musical Revival Show, they generously gave away 500
tickets to the 500 'early birds' such as myself, photo: standing on line 8AM for 10AM open
box office:

While I was standing on the line the CBS MoneyWatch field reporter Megan Jordan came walking up
the line with her camera man interviewing people on the line.
http://moneywatch.bnet.com/about/?tag=header;utility
I told Megan about my audition for the first San Francisco cast of HAIR in 1968 when I had a lot
of hair. They told me, You look perfect...then they had me sing and it was over real fast!
Jon Hammond circa 1968 :

The sound for the show was excellent, the band is all top Local 802 Musicians Union musicians. I
checked out the audio mixing console during intermission

After the highly energetic show the cast comes right in to the audience

Sadly they just announced that they will be closing the show on June 27th after a highly
successful run of over 500 performances

*Note: Paula Abdul of American Idol was sitting nearby me in the Orchestra Section on this night.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/10/theater/10arts-001.html?scp=1&sq=broadway%20losing%20its%20hair&st=cse

"ARTS, BRIEFLY

Broadway Is Losing Its ‘Hair’

By PATRICK HEALY; Compiled by DAVE ITZKOFF

Published: June 10, 2010

The current Broadway production of “Hair,” which won the 2009Tony Award for best musical revival, will close on June 27, its producers said on Wednesday. “Hair” began turning a profit in August, after recouping its capitalization costs of $5.76 million"

Hammond shown here with Bernard Purdie and Jerry Jemmott backstage at HAIR

Bernard “Pretty” Purdie, Jon Hammond, Jerry Jemmott backstage at Hair Show

L to R: Bernard “Pretty” Purdie, Jon Hammond, Jerry Jemmott aka Gerald “Fingers” Jemmott backstage at Hair Show at the Al Hirschfeld Theater on Broadway NYC.


Jon Hammond says: Be sure and catch the HAIR Show while you can at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre, the
show is very relevant and the cast and musicians are top notch.
USA Tour Dates TBA (to be announced) A strong anti-war statement, the 60's Spirit Lives onstage nightly at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre. Meet the Tribe http://www.hairbroadway.com/tribe
                                                                                                                                

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hair_(musical)

with music by Galt MacDermot, Hair was conceived by actors James Rado and Gerome Ragni.

Peace, Anti-war, Local 802 Musicians Union, Bernard Purdie, Wilbur Bascomb, Jon Hammond, HammondCast, Al Hirschfeld Theatre, Galt MacDermot, Aquarius, Vietnam, Be-in, Rock Musical