auditions

Kokandy Productions is seeking main cast and understudies for Gerome Ragni, James Rado & Galt MacDermot’s HAIR, directed and choreographed by Brennan Urbi, with music direction by Kara Olander. The show will be produced at The Chopin Theatre in Wicker Park. Submissions are now open through Monday, February 2. 

SUBMISSION FORM

ABOUT THE SHOW The American tribal love rock musical HAIR celebrates the sixties counterculture in all its barefoot, long-haired, bell-bottomed, beaded and fringed glory. To an infectiously energetic rock beat, the show wows audiences with songs like “Aquarius,” “Good Morning, Starshine,” “Hair,” “I Got Life” and “Let The Sunshine In.” Exploring ideas of identity, community, global responsibility and peace, HAIR remains relevant as ever as it examines what it means to be a young person in a changing world.

We are casting 10-16 individuals to cover all roles, including Berger, Woof, Hud, Claude, Jeanie, Dionne, Crissy, Sheila, Margaret Mead and other members of the tribe. We are looking for a diverse cast of all backgrounds, sizes, sexualities, genders and types to explore the themes of HAIR and how they resonate today. All roles can be played by any ethnicity, unless specifically noted in the character list below. Note that the show does contain nudity (not required for all roles) and that an intimacy director will be part of the production team. 

Director/Producer Note: We recognize the importance HAIR had when it was written while also acknowledging its language and themes resonate differently today. Though we will begin by engaging with the material in its current form, we are excited to collaborate with the cast on the version that feels most authentic to our group. This may include substitutions in language (specifically terms referring to minorities and other marginalized groups) and staging that portrays sex, violence, war, racial stereotypes and drug use. We have a plan, and our cast will be part of it. 
 

AVAILABLE ROLES INCLUDE:

Berger  – An irreverent, anti-establishment free spirit and the Tribe’s most expressive member. Vocal Range: Tenor (A2-B4) 

Woof –  An androgynous, gentle soul. Loves plants, family and the audience. Hung up on Mick Jagger. Vocal Range: Tenor/High Baritone (D3-G4) 

Hud – A Black man who is the self-proclaimed “President of the United States of Love.”  Vocal Range: Baritone (B2-F4) 

Claude – The nominal leader and moral center of the Tribe. Vocal Range: Tenor (A2-F4) 

Jeanie – An idealistic, pregnant environmentalist (Earth-Mother) who is in love with Claude. Vocal Range: Alto (G3-F4) 

Dionne – A vivacious, strong Black femme who kicks off the show. Vocal Range: Mezzo Soprano/Soprano (F4-F5) 

Crissy – Sweet and innocent. The youngest member of the Tribe. Vocal Range: Mezzo Soprano/Soprano (A3-C5) 

Sheila – An NYU student and antiwar protestor. Hung up on Berger. Vocal Range: Mezzo Soprano/Alto (G3-C5) 

Margaret Mead – A Tribe member who, at one point in the show, cosplays in drag as the cultural anthropologist and and author. Vocal Range: Tenor (A2-B4) 

Hubert – A Tribe member who, at one point in the show, portrays Margaret Mead’s husband. Vocal Range: Baritone (B2-F4) 

There will be several additional ensemble members who play multiple characters throughout the show.

PAY: $800

TIME COMMITMENT: Rehearsals begin the week of May 25, 2026 (4-5 rehearsals per week; a mix of weekday evenings and weekend morning/afternoons). Tech begins Friday, June 26. First preview Thursday, July 2. Opening weekend: Sat, July 18 and Sun, July 19. Regular performance week is Thurs-Sat 7PM, Sun 5PM. The show will run through Sun, Sept 13, with a possibility of extending through Sun, Oct 4. There will be no performance on July 4.

MATERIAL TO PREPARE: Please submit a 32-bar (or about 1:30) cut of a song in the style of the show that demonstrates your vocal range and ability. Feel free to move, groove and share your personality. 

Utilize the form linked above to upload your headshot/resume and self-tape materials, and to express your interest and availability for this production. Include if there are any specific role(s) for which you’d like to be considered, whether or not you are interested in understudying, and any conflicts you have with the production period. Also indicate your availability for the in-person callback dates (Feb 21-22). 

*Please note* If invited to callbacks, candidates will be sent material from the show to prepare for a slot on the callback dates. Alternatively, some candidates may be asked to prepare a virtual callback and self-tape.

Submission are due by Monday, Feb 2.

If you have any questions or issues utilizing the form, please email casting@kokandyproductions.com Thanks in advance, and have fun!