James Rado, who changed musical theater forever in 1968 with the premiere of ‚Hair,‘ died on Tuesday. He was 90.
James Rado, the co-creator of the era-defining rock musical “Hair,” died in New York City on Tuesday evening, according to the Associated Press. He was 90.
“Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical” premiered in 1968, receiving a best musical nomination at the 1969 Tony Awards and winning best musical at the Grammys that year. The musical defined the generation of free love, with songs like “Let The Sunshine In” and “Age of Aquarius” that found success outside the walls of the Biltmore Theater on 47th street. It also opened the door for rock music to find a home on Broadway, and was followed by countless classic musicals, like “Rent,” “Hamilton,” “Jesus Christ Superstar” and more, all of which took their musical cues from “Hair.”
Rado collaborated on the show’s story and lyrics with Gerome Ragni, with music by Galt MacDermot. Beyond being the first rock musical on Broadway, it was also notable for its boundary-pushing content: it was the first show to feature full nudity and the first to include a sex scene between two people of the same sex.
