Hot off their record-breaking, Jeff Award-winning runs of Jekyll & Hyde and Amélie, Kokandy Productions is pleased to launch its 2026 Season with the revolutionary “love-rock” musical HAIR, playing July 2 – September 13, 2026 on The Chopin Theatre Mainstage, 1543 W. Division St. in Chicago. Directed and choreographed by Brennan Urbi with music direction by Kara Olander, HAIR features book and lyrics by Gerome Ragni & James Rado and music by Galt MacDermot. Tickets are on sale now at kokandyproductions.com or bit.ly/HairChicago. The press opening is Saturday, July 18, 2026 at 7 pm.
Uniting for an exhilarating summer of peace, love and fury, HAIR features Gavin Rhys as Claude, Catherine Rodriguez O’Connor as Sheila, Zac Richey as Berger, Amy Yesom Kim as Crissy, Chosen Mitchell as Dionne, Stone Teselle as Woof, Nicki Rossi as Jeannie and Joshua Emmanuel as Hud with an ensemble including Diana Marilyn Alvarez, Leroy Berts IV, Shayla Florence, Niki-Charisse Franco, Isadora Coco Gonzalez, Wolfie J, Matteo Palm and Quinn Simmons.
Swings include Kevin Chlapecka, Allyriane Huq, Mizha Lee Overn, Victor Lopez, Jack Saunders, Maliha Sayed and Kijani X.
The cast and swings of Kokandy Productions’ HAIR include (top, l to r) Diana Marilyn Alvarez, Leroy Berts IV, Kevin Chlapecka, Joshua Emmanuel, Shayla Florence, Niki-Charisse Franco (second row, l to r) Isadora Coco Gonzalez, Allyriane Huq, Wolfie J, Amy Yesom Kim, Victor Lopez, Chosen Mitchell, (third row, l to r) Mizha Lee Overn, Matteo Palm, Gavin Rhys, Zac Richey, Catherine Rodriguez O’Connor, Nicki Rossi, (bottom, l to r) Jack Saunders, Maliha Sayed, Quinn Simmons, Stone TeSelle and Kijani X.
About the Production
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.
Director and choreographer Brennan Urbi comments, “This is a show about chosen family and active community, exploring how we can build support and fight for each other – no matter the generation, place or time. We have a knockout cast who are ready to rock! By building today's versions of these well-known characters, we're going to find out how this iconic ‘60s score reverberates all the way to Summer 2026.”
The production team includes Eleanor Kahn (Scenic Design), Rachel Sypniewski (Costume Design), G "Max" Maxin IV (Lighting Design), Matt Reich (Sound Design), Syd Genco (Makeup Design), Keith Ryan (Wig Design), Kirsten Baity (Intimacy Director), Chels Morgan (Cultural Competency Specialist), Shane Roberie (Casting Director), Nicholas Reinhart (Production Manager), Kendyl Meyer (Associate Production Manager), Shelby Burgus (Stage Manager), Yasmeen "Yaz" Abiad (Assistant Stage Manager), Scot Kokandy (Executive Producer) and Derek Van Barham (Producing Artistic Director).
PRODUCTION DETAILS:
Title: HAIR: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical
Book and Lyrics: Gerome Ragni & James Rado
Music: Galt MacDermot
Director and Choreographer: Brennan Urbi
Music Director: Kara Olander
Cast (in alphabetical order): Diana Marilyn Alvarez (Ensemble), Leroy Berts IV (Ensemble), Joshua Emmanuel (Hud), Shayla Florence (Ensemble), Niki-Charisse Franco (Ensemble), Isadora Coco Gonzalez (Ensemble), Wolfie J (Ensemble), Amy Yesom Kim (Crissy), Chosen Mitchell (Dionne), Catherine Rodriguez O’Connor (Sheila), Matteo Palm (Ensemble), Gavin Rhys (Claude), Zac Richey (Berger), Nicki Rossi (Jeannie), Quinn Simmons (Ensemble) and Stone Teselle (Woof).
Swings: Kevin Chlapecka, Allyriane Huq, Mizha Lee Overn, Victor Lopez, Jack Saunders, Maliha Sayed and Kijani X.
Location: The Chopin Theatre Mainstage, 1543 W. Division St., Chicago
Dates: Previews: Thursday, July 2 – Friday, July 17, 2026
Press performance: Saturday, July 18, 2026 at 7 pm
Regular run: Sunday, July 19 – Sunday, September 13, 3026
Curtain Times: Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7 pm; Sundays at 5 pm. Please note: there will not be a performance on Saturday, July 4; there will be an added performance on Monday, July 6 at 7 pm.
Tickets: Previews $28.52* general admission, $39.19* reserved seating. Regular run $55.20* general admission, $65.87* reserved seating. Students/seniors $44.52*. There will be a limited number of lower-priced tickets (with code ARTIST) available to artists for each performance. Tickets are on sale now at kokandyproductions.com or bit.ly/HairChicago. *Ticket prices include processing fees
HAIR is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Tams-Witmark LLC.
About the Artists
Brennan Urbi (Director and Choreographer) is a stage artist who works with community members, artists and actors alike to build a process specific to the questions and skill sets of the group. B’s NYC credits include Into the Woods, Macbeth, Strays, (un)belonging*, Blood Grudge, Electric World, My Best Friend's Cabaret, Singing Lessons, iii sisters, Connection is Unstable, The Munchies, Leo’s Requiem and Alley Between the House. Assistant on Blackout Songs (MCC) I think Big Cat… (Roundabout). In Chicago, B directed Half-Baked, The Beauty of Your Eyes and Civics and Humanities and assisted productions including Spring Awakening, Children of Eden, Hair and Another Room in Your Head. MFA Directing Columbia University, Recipient of the Neo-Futurist Artist of Color scholarship, BFA Acting Chicago College of Performing Art. Founding member of Pick Six. www.brennanurbi.com @brennan_urbi.
Kara Olander (Music Director) is a multi-instrumentalist, music director and actor in the Chicago area. As a pit musician of many years, her mission is to foster a band and cast that feels empowered to groove in their own individuality. Past shows include Always, Patsy Cline (Drury Lane), Amélie (Kokandy), Porchlight Sings the Season (Porchlight Music Theatre), LOKI: The End of the World Tour (Lifeline Theatre), Rock of Ages (Metropolis), Tell Me On a Sunday (Theo Ubique) and Houston, You Have a Problem (Streamline Theatre).
About Kokandy Productions
Founded in 2010, Kokandy Productions seeks to leverage the heightened reality of musical theatre to tell complex and challenging stories, with a focus on contributing to the development of Chicago-based musical theatre artists, and raising the profile of Chicago's non-Equity musical theatre community.
The company's artistic staff is comprised of Derek Van Barham (Producing Artistic Director), Scot Kokandy (Executive Producer) and Adrian Abel Azevedo & Leda Hoffman (Artistic Associates). The Board of Directors includes Preston Cropp, Scot T. Kokandy, Danielle Sparklin and Katie Svaicer.
For additional information, visit kokandyproductions.com.