Hair Broadway Revival Cast Will Not Include Jonathan Groff

Responding to published reports, a spokesperson for the forthcoming Broadway revival of Hair confirmed that Tony nominee Jonathan Groff will not play Claude, the leading role that earned him glowing reviews in the Central Park production of the musical last summer. The statement said only that Groff will be “unavailable to transfer with Hair to Broadway.” Casting for the musical, which is scheduled to begin previews at the Hirschfeld Theatre on February 13, 2009, has not been announced, although many of the actors who appeared in the Central Park production are expected to reprise their roles.

Groff is currently appearing in Playwrights Horizons’ off-Broadway production of Craig Lucas’ Prayer for My Enemy, which opens on December 9 and is scheduled to run through December 21. A 2007 Best Actor Tony nominee for playing Melchior in Spring Awakening, he recently played the pivotal role of Michael Lang in Ang Lee’s forthcoming feature film Taking Woodstock.

Written by James Rado and Gerome Ragni, with music by Galt MacDermot, Hair is being produced on Broadway by the Public Theater in partnership with Elizabeth Ireland McCann. The revival is directed by Diane Paulus.