Age of Aquarius coming back on Broadway thanks to NBC's latest rock musical 'Hair Live'
After the massive success of 'Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert', NBC is gearing up for the next rock musical called 'Hair Live!'. The musical will be up and ready for viewers in spring of 2019 in front of a live audience.
Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, who have executive produced each of NBC's live musicals since the legendary 'The Sound of Music' revived this innovative programming genre, will executive produce the telecast.
It is based on the live Broadway show called 'Hair' that became super popular about 50 years ago, in the midst of the anti-Vietnam War movement. It was said to be groundbreaking in many ways. With music by Galt MacDermot and book and lyrics by Gerome Ragni and James Rado, 'Hair' has a string of hits that have been played all over the globe, including '(The Age of) Aquarius,' 'Let the Sunshine In,' 'Good Morning Starshine,' 'Hair,' and 'Manchester, England,' among many others.
'Hair Live!' tells the story of a group of politically active hippies living a bohemian life in New York while fighting against and resisting the Vietnam War. Claude, his good friends Berger and Sheila, and their 'tribe' are coming of age in the world of the sexual revolution while struggling with their rebellion against the war and their conservative parents and society. Claude must decide whether to resist the draft as his friends have done, or succumb to the pressures of conservative America to serve in Vietnam, compromising his principles and beliefs.
"'Hair,' is one of the most original shows ever conceived for Broadway with one of the greatest scores," said Robert Greenblatt, Chairman, NBC Entertainment. "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."
"When we both, individually, saw 'Hair' on Broadway, we were knocked out by how musical theater could be stretched into something so daring, immersive and audacious," said Zadan and Meron. "Its recent Broadway revival showed how timeless the show is and that it's relevant to any era. It is filled with heartfelt emotion, joy and thrilling music and it really will be the new dawning of the Age of Aquarius."
'Hair Live!' will be produced by Universal Television, MGM Television, and Zadan/Meron Productions.