Hair - Cyberbil - Hair Team Biographies - Authors, Composer, General Manager

Galt MacDermot, Composer

Galt MacDermot is best known for his music in HAIR, and his Tony Award Winning score to Two Gentlemen of Verona. His most recent show, Time and Wind, played at the John Houseman Studio Theatre in New York City to sold-out crowds, and is being recorded on CD. MacDermot's work spans the gamut of performing arts, creating a rich tapestry of musicals (The Human Comedy, Steel), ballet scores (Salome), film scores (Cotton Comes To Harlem, Fortune and Mans Eyes, Mistress), chamber music (Wind Quintet), the Anglican Liturgy , poetry (Thomas Hardy) and drama accompaniments ("The Sun Always Shines For The Cool," "The Shooting of Dan McGrew") and band repertory. He draws inspiration from a wealth of musical scores, crossing the boundaries of jazz, folk, gospel, reggae, and classical styles.
MacDermot's background is as uniquely diverse as his music. The son of a Canadian diplomat, he was born and raised in Montreal. After attending Bishop's University, he received a more extensive musical education at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, and then moved to New York in 1964. Three years later, MacDermot wrote the music for the landmark Broadway production, HAIR, which he later adapted for the screen.
MacDermot formed the New Pulse Jazz Band in 1979, which features his original music. Rounding out the group are eight dynamic musicians, including Bernard Purdie, Allen Won and Charlie Brown, who play an eclectic repertoire of show tunes, orchestrated pieces, and material composed by MacDermot exclusively for the band. The New Pulse Jazz Band combines the lyricism of the best musical theater with the unique rhythms of classic jazz, to create a uniquely captivating sound.
Lately, Galt MacDermot's music has found a new venue with young rap artists who find MacDermot's rhythms perfect for setting their music to, as in Run DMC's Grammy award-winning Down With The King, and Billboards top chart-buster, Woo-Hah!! Got You All In Check by Busta Rhymes derived from MacDermot's Martine's Movie/Woman is Sweeter. Most recently, Galt has set 30 poems of Thomas Hardy to music and they have been recorded by some of New York's and Nashville's most talented singers. A debut performance of the work will be performed this December at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall.

Stan Hilton, General Manager

Stan's first job in show business was as a box office assistant and treasurer of the Mill Run Playhouse in Niles, Illinois. His job as bookkeeper for HAIR led him to managing the first productions of HAIR in Chicago, Las Vegas, and San Francisco. In California his management credits spanned from HAIR to companies of Jesus Christ Superstar, My Fair Lady, No Place To Be Somebody starring Ben Vereen and Philip Michael Thomas in San Francisco and Winner Take All, starring Patricia Morrison and Janet Blair in Los Angeles and Boston.
He was Director of Park and Theater operations for "Art Park", the New York State Parks Commission's arts complex in Lewiston, New York during its inaugural season. The Shubert Organization brought him back to Chicago where he managed the Blackstone Theater for many years.
In Chicago, he managed the companies of Eleanor, starring Eileen Heckart, Your Arm's Too Short to Box With God starring Lolita Holloway, and Street Dreams, starring Delores Hall and Tonya Pinkins. Michael Butler's production of Pope Joan was his last project and now he has come full circle to work with another company of HAIR.
His biographical sketches appear in "Who's Who Among Black Americans", Marquis' "Who's Who in the Midwest", and "Who's Who in Entertainment". He will always be grateful to the late producer, Carl Stohn Jr., for giving him his first job in the theater.

REPRINTED FROM THE SCHUBERT THEATRE PLAYBILL
December, 1969

Gerome Ragni, Co-Author (deceased)
Gerome Ragni, I beleive in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of Heaven and earth and of all things visible and invisible. And I beleive in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God. Born of the Father before all ages. God of God, Light of Light, true God of true God. Begotten not made, of one substance of the Father, by Whom all things were made, Who for us as men and for our salvation came down from Heaven. And He became flesh by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary and was made Man.

James Rado, Co-Author
James Rado, He was also crucified for us, suffered under Pontius Pilate, and was buried. And on the third day He rose again, according to the scriptures. He ascended into Heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and of His kingdom there will be no end. And I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. Who together with the Father and the Son are glorified, and who spoke through the prophets. And one holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins, and I wait the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.

On to Pages from Michael Butler's Journal