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128 NW Eleventh Ave, Portland, OR 97209 · 503-445-3700 · www.pcs.org
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HAIR

The word HAIR beside the smiling face of a Black woman with a full afro.
September 30 – November 5, 2023
On the U.S. Bank Main Stage

Let the sunshine in! With an iconic score that changed pop culture forever, HAIR is as relevant today as it was when it radicalized a generation in 1968. This revolutionary rock musical tells the story of a group of counter-culturalists whose worlds are shaken when one of them receives his draft notice for the Vietnam War. Exploring ideas of identity, free love, community, global responsibility, and peace, HAIR reminds us that history is never far away — and that our collective voice is a powerful tool for change.

Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical, 2009. Tony Award Nomination for Best Musical, 1969.

“Every now and then, a piece of American performance is so memorable that it both redefines its medium and reframes the culture at large.” - New York Times

HAIR

  • Book & Lyrics by Gerome Ragni & James Rado
  • Music by Galt MacDermot
  • Directed by Isaac Lamb
Preview image for Hair: A History

Hair: A History

A quick look at the original creative team, early productions and the musical's lasting legacy.

Preview image for The Vietnam War

The Vietnam War

Background, escalation and legacy of the war.

A gathering of young, long-haired war protesters on a city sidewalk are bordered by a row of armed soldiers along the adjacent street.

1968: The Year that Changed the World

1968 saw the peak of political unrest in all corners of the world. In America, resistance became a way of existence for many citizens, and new musicals of the era like HAIR brought the explicit and present politics of the moment roaring on stage.

The Cast

Travis Keith Battle, Ensemble, Understudy Hud
(They/Them)

Travis is a Brooklyn-based performing artist who is making their Portland Center Stage debut. They are a graduate of Temple University’s musical theatre program and a member of Actors Equity. Previous credits include Jimmy Early (Dreamgirls), Fleetwood (The Life), and Gator (Memphis). Their drag persona, Ella Fartzgerald, has been described as “a musical stage luminary” and can be found performing in cabaret venues across New York City.

Morgan Ashley Bryant, Ensemble, Understudy Dionne, & Dance Captain
(She/Her)

Morgan is a NY-based artist born in Alabama. She was most recently seen in the Mean Girls 1st National Tour as Karen Smith. “I am excited and honored to be able to share HAIR with the world and to be a part of such a spectacularly talented and diverse cast. Always, love to the teachers and family who told me, “You can.” @mo_dances

(Pronoun Fluid)

DJ is honored to return to Portland Center Stage for this transformative show. DJ has been fortunate to portray the roles of: Tom Collins in Rent, David Heard in Choir Boy, and the title role in Hedwig and the Angry Inch at PCS. Favorite credits include: David Lee’s adaptation of Lerner and Lowe’s Camelot with The Old Creamery Theatre and Great Plains Theatre, Ruined at Burning Coal Theatre Company, and most recently as Dr. Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Show at Four Corners Theatre Company. Local credits: A Christmas Carol and Crowns at Portland Playhouse, and Mlima's Tale with Profile Theatre. @heymr.deejay

Noellia Hernandez, Ensemble, Understudy Jeanie
(She/Her)

Noellia is beyond excited to be a part of this iconic show with these incredible artists. Noellia is a recent Portland transplant by way of NYC during COVID. National Tours: The Buddy Holly Story (Maria Elena) Off-Broadway: Temple of the Souls at Theatre Row (Amada) Select regional: In The Heights at Phoenix Theatre (Nina), The Buddy Holly Story (PCLO), Jesus Christ Superstar (ZACH Theatre) and a vocalist on Disney Cruise Line. Noellia is endlessly thankful to her village for supporting her especially her Mother, Tia Ana, Sam, Carolyn and her husband Adam. Noellia also wants to thank the creative team for giving her this opportunity. When not performing you can find her teaching the Lagree Method or running around with her toddler. IG: Noelliaaa

Tyler Andrew Jones , Ensemble, Understudy Claude
(He/Him)

Tyler is thrilled to be back and opening the Portland Center Stage 23/24 season with HAIR! A multidisciplinary theatre artist, writer, and teacher, Tyler’s recent PCS credits include A Midsummer Night's Dream, tick, tick … BOOM!, Back by Unpopular Demand, and Hedwig & the Angry Inch. Additionally, as a playwright, his most notable works include The Marks You Leave, which was produced in part by Ronnie Lacroute and the WillaKenzie Estate at the 20th Annual International New York Fringe Festival, and has since received an Off-Broadway reading at The Cell Theatre, as well as his newest piece, Even Faster Than a Blink, which recently received its first public reading as a part of the 2022 JAW New Play Festival. Later this season, under the direction of Marissa Wolf, Tyler will jump over to the other side of the table and serve as the Assistant Director of Dracula: a Feminist Revenge Fantasy, Really. Tyler attended Marymount Manhattan College and Third Rail Repertory Theatre’s Mentorship Program. He is a proud member of AEA and The Dramatist Guild of America. IG: @t.andrew.jones

Paul Louis Lessard, Hubert, Ensemble, Understudy Woof & Berger
(He/They)

Paul is thrilled to return to PCS after appearing in Sunset Boulevard in 2010. Most recently seen as Herod in the 50th Anniversary Touring Production of Jesus Christ Superstar from London’s West End garnering positive international reviews from The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, The Chicago Sun-Times and The Toronto Star. Paul worked with original HAIR creator James Rado on his subsequent musical Supersoldier in NYC. Lincoln Center: I Am Harvey Milk. Numerous regional productions, including originating the role of Albert De Morcerf in Frank Wildhorn’s The Count Of Monte Cristo at Pioneer Theatre Company in SLC. Trained: Interlochen Arts Academy, London Dramatic Academy, University of Michigan B.F.A. Love and thanks to my family and friends. Paul is a private voice teacher here in Portland and also a certified yoga instructor. For queer youth everywhere! @paullouislessard

(They/He)

Solomon is beyond thrilled to be in the PNW making his Portland Center Stage debut! Regional: Olney Theatre Center: Kinky Boots. Signature Theater: The Color Purple (Helen Hayes for Best Supporting Performer), RENT, Ain’t Misbehavin’, Grand Hotel, Billy Elliot, Jesus Christ Superstar. Ford’s Theatre: The Wiz, Grace the Musical, A Christmas Carol. Pennsylvania Shakespeare Fest: In the Heights. Monumental Theatre Co: Pippin, Sunday Funday, Montgomery, Bashful. Keegan Theatre: Legally Blonde. Toby's Dinner Theatre: Kinky Boots, Dreamgirls, Hairspray; Red Branch Theatre Company: Dogfight. Film: After Midnight dir. Jared Grimes, Signature Vinyl. EDUCATION: AA in theatre performance Montgomery College. @thesolomonexperience thesolomonexperience.com

(She/They)

Olivia is an actor, singer, and songwriter and was born and raised in the UK. Olivia most recently played Kate Jones opposite Edie Falco in CBS’s Tommy. Amongst many other projects, Olivia has starred in multiple original Broadway cast productions (Waitress, Frozen, Disater) as well as numerous West End productions (Priscilla, The Book Of Mormon, Ghost). Olivia is passionate about healing, and dedicates this, and every artistic endeavor to children suffering in silence in abusive households. Don’t suffer alone - childhelphotline.org

Renee Ross, Ensemble, Understudy Crissy
(She/Her)

Renee is a long time lover of all things ‘pizzaz’, and is ecstatic to be making her Portland Center Stage debut. She feels passionate about bringing queer representation to theater with characters like Pips in The Montana Repertory Theater’s world premiere of Hearth: A Yuletide Tale, or as Lulu in Stumptown Stage’s Cabaret. Other credits include Judy Haynes in White Christmas at Fort Peck Summer Theater, Janet Weiss in Rocky Horror Picture Show at The Wilma, produced by Montana Actor’s Theatre, and AM Theatrical’s Next to Normal as Natalie Goodman. When she isn’t on stage, she is passionate about choreographing and teaching dance styles inspired by classic musical theatre jazz. She sends love to friends Chae and Mia for all their support!

(She/They)

Hannah is ecstatic to be making their Portland Center Stage debut in this groovy production of HAIR! Portland acting credits include: Into the Woods at Broadway Rose; Jesus Christ Superstar and Cabaret with Stumptown Stages. Other credits include: The Magic Paintbrush with The REV Theatre; Miss Saigon with World Theatre Productions; Over the Garden Wall with Campy Cabaret and Patrynize; Amahl and the Night Visitors, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, and The Last Days of Judas Iscariot at Wagner College. She gives her endless love and gratitude to her support system. @hannahsapitan

(She/Her)

Lauren Steele is a multidisciplinary artist from Portland, Oregon, with a B.F.A. in Theatre from Southern Methodist University. She is excited to be returning to Portland Center Stage after appearing in their last season in Tick… Tick… Boom! And the ripple, the wave, that carried me home. You may have also seen her in “What I Learned in Paris” and Bella: An American Tall Tale at Portland Playhouse. Lauren recently released her first full-length album, Happy Girl, under her musical stage name “Lo Steele”, and was named one of Willamette Week’s “Best New Bands” of 2022. Check out her music on all streaming platforms, and social media @losteele.

Bets Swadis, Margaret Mead, Ensemble
(They/Them)

Bets is a theatre artist based in Portland. Originally from Philadelphia, East Coast credits include: Emcee in Cabaret, Lumiere in Beauty & The Beast, Chip in …Spelling Bee, Gregory Gardner in A Chorus Line, and The Nutcracker Ballet. Local credits include: Leaf in …Spelling Bee, Alvin in Band Geeks! [West Coast Premiere], The Rocky Horror Show, and Drew in Troll 2: The Musical. They are the choreographer of the annual Trans Voices Cabaret Portland. Bets is grateful for the opportunity to return to the Armory after appearing as Dad & Jard in In The Basement and as Bex, Brad & Claudia in Best Available in JAW 2023 over the summer. They’d like to thank Brian, diet soda, naps, and their cat, Ostentacia Wallacé, for keeping them going. @cool__ghost

Malia Tippets, Ensemble, Understudy Shelia
(She/Her)

Malia was born and raised in Oregon by a couple of plaid-wearing hippies, music-loving hippies. She has  been making music and telling stories most of her life; locally, nationally and internationally.  Malia wants her family to know that you (yeah, you) are the whole reason for all of it. She humbly asks that the rest of you reading this right now unclench your jaw, drop your shoulders, take a deep breath and let this story be what it can be for you today. Our eyes are open.

Maddie Tran, Shelia & Fight Captain
(She/Her)

Madeleine is a Vietnamese-American soprano, actor, fight choreographer, and occasional street and festival performer. She was born in Tacoma, WA but studied classical voice at the University of Portland under Dr. Nicole Hanig. Madeleine also studies and teaches stage combat under the mentorship of Kristen Mun. She has performed locally with many companies, including Artist's Repertory Theater, Third Rail Repertory, Portland Center Stage, Shaking The Tree, Portland Opera, and Renegade Opera. She is so excited to tackle Sheila with such an incredible and lively group of artists!

(He/Him)

Skyler is an actor and filmmaker based in Portland, Oregon. He is thrilled to be returning to Portland Center Stage! Skyler was most recently seen on stage in PCS’s production of RENT, where he was in the ensemble and understudied Roger, and Profile Theater’s How to Make an American Son, where he played Sean. His film and television credits include lead roles in James Franco’s Memoria, the film Sophie Jones (Showtime), and a recurring role on the TBS comedy Chad. The first short film Skyler wrote and produced, Julia, premiered at BendFilm Festival, and most recently screened at Hollyshorts Film Festival at the Chinese Dolby Theatre. The film was praised by rogerebert.com as a “galvanizing fact-based gem.” Skyler is currently in post production for his upcoming short film, Stretch, which will be his directorial debut. When he isn’t working in television, film, or the theater, he is teaching piano and guitar lessons. Skyler would like to thank PCS for the opportunity to return to their stage.

(He/Him)

Antonio is so excited to be making his Portland Center Stage debut in HAIR. He has done over 30 community productions in the California Bay Area since he was young. Some of his favorite roles include: Penelope Pennywise in Urinetown, Javert in Les Miserables and Gomez Addams in The Addams Family. He has also been invited to perform multiple times at Carnegie Hall in New York City and The Musikverein in Vienna, Austria for his vocal achievements. He wants to give a special thanks to VOXNorthwest Voice Studio, his sister and his mom for continuing to support him on this journey. He hopes you enjoy the show!

(He/Him)

Emmanuel is radically joyful to be making his Portland Center Stage debut in the revolt that is HAIR. Emmanuel has been in musical theater for ten years playing roles such as Leading Player in Pippin and Booker T. Washington in Ragtime as well as roles in several short films. Also known as Napp Jones, Emmanuel is a neo-soul singer and songwriter with a full catalogue on Spotify and collaborations with world renowned rappers. Fresh from Georgia with his partner Kimberly, Emmanuel is finding his place in Portland and this dynamic community. He wants to extend profound gratitude to the creative team, cast and crew and everyone behind the scenes who’ve helped bring this production to life. Finally, he wants to extend heartfelt appreciation for the audience: who we do this for.

(She/Her)

Danielle is a rare unicorn, born and raised in Portland Oregon. She has had the fortune of performing locally for various theater companies. Aside from performing, she is a passionate teacher of the arts. She enjoys singing in the shower, in the rain, and on stage. She longs for the thick, shiny hair she had in elementary school. "All my love to Fred".

(She/They)

Evelyn Jane is a local theatre artist who specializes in devised documentary theatre. She trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington D.C. and locally at Fir Acres Theatre where she earned her B.A. in acting. Most notably she produced, choreographed, and performed Fruit Bowl, an interview-based piece about Portland strippers (2023). Other credits include Bitch in Great Falls (2021) and Maureen in RENT (2022) at Fir Acres Theatre, and most recently performed in I Think of You: Illuminating Mass Incarceration from the Inside Out (2023) at Portland Center Stage.

The Band

(He/El)

Pierre is a self-taught multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter and producer from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He is very excited to return to PCS for HAIR! Since 2015, Pierre has created a sonic world under juracán. The full-lengths ‘Niño’ (2018) and ‘Jarineo’ (2020) are guitar-driven stories full of dreamy ambiance.Most of his releases from 2023 (‘Tenerte Miedo’; ‘Al Despertar’) are pop-leaning and vocal-centric. You can listen to every release at juracanpdx.bandcamp.com/ Pierre plans to release 3 more singles in the next 3 months under juracán! Stay tuned via IG @juracan.studio

Mieke Bruggeman, Reed/Woodwinds
(She/Her)

Mieke is a Portland based multi-instrumentalist and educator. She performs regularly with the all-female sax quartet - Quadraphonnes; the Afro-Cuban band - Melao de Cuba; the 12-piece jazz chamber orchestra - Portland Jazz Composers Ensemble (PJCE), and tours with Ron Artis II & The Truth. Recent Portland Center Stage at The Armory productions include: In the Heights, The Color Purple, Fun Home, and Ain't Misbehavin'. Mieke also enjoys teaching private lessons at her home studio and as education coordinator for the PJCE, she heads the Young Jazz Composers and Alumni programs. She is heavily involved in promoting music education and loves collaborating with her music community. Music is the one outlet that (as author Tom Robbins might say) keeps the oxygen from leaking out of her life.

Joshua Hegg, Piano/Band Leader/Accompanist
(He/Him)

Joshua is a Portland-based pianist, composer, and educator with a deep appreciation for the art of music-making and the connections it forges within the community. Originally from California, Joshua left a mark as co-founder and managing director with Uncle Dad's Art Collective, a non-profit production group that specialized in developing original community-based works. Now in the pacific north west, he's become a sought-after pianist, performing in several bands and cultivating new communities with some of the best musical minds in the area. Josh is excited to make his Portland theater debut working on Hair at Portland Center Stage!

(He/Him)

Mitchell is a trumpet player in the Portland Area! Before joining Portland Center Stage, Mitchell toured with Cirque Musica and played in the Fox Valley Orchestra and Brass Band. Mitchell also has degrees from Northern Illinois University (P.C.), University of New Mexico (M.M), and Lawrence University (B.M.) Mitchell is also an accomplished educator, having been on faculty with the Elgin Community College and running a private studio.

Justin Radford, Drums/Percussion
(He/Him)

Justin is a drummer, composer, audio engineer, writer, and occasional Chapman Stick player from the Portland metro area. Even though this is his debut with PCS, Justin previously performed Hair with Staged! in 2019. When he's not playing musicals with Broadway Rose and local high schools, Justin plays drums and Chapman Stick for several bands. Since 2011, Justin has been developing and composing a musical based on Norse mythology and hopes to release it in 2024. Outside of music, he is a published novelist and a connoisseur of milkshakes. You can check out his website at www.vainastudios.com for more information about his music and writing.

(He/Him)

Originally from Eugene, Oregon, Chris Shuttleworth moved to Chicago to pursue a Jazz Studies degree at the prestigious DePaul University School of Music, where he studied under a number of staples of the Chicago music scene, including Dennis Carroll, Mark Fisher, and Charles Vernon. He has shared the stage with many diverse acts ranging from jazz heavyweights such as Wycliffe Gordon, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, Randy Brecker, Ken Peplowski, Greg Ward, Chuck Israels, and Dana Hall, to pop acts including Beats Antique, Hellogoodbye, The Temptations, and The Four Tops. He has also toured extensively as a leader and a sideman, having performed in the majority of the United States as well as internationally as far as Shanghai.

Eric Toner, Guitar
(He/Him)

Having over thirty-five years with his hands at the acoustic, electric, and classical guitars, Eric plays a broad cross-section of musical genres. A Canadian recording artist, he toured North America for two years and recorded multiple albums. His passion is live performance but he also has spent time singing, arranging, sound designing, mixing, and producing. These days he mostly plays musical theater in the greater Portland region. Favorite shows he has performed locally include Fun Home, West Side Story, Dreamgirls, Fiddler on the Roof, Next to Normal, Last Five Years, Hairspray, Little Shop of Horrors, Folk City, Chess, Jesus Christ Superstar, and Shrek the Musical.

The Creative Team

James Rado, Book & Lyrics

James was an American actor, playwright, director, and composer, best known as the co-author, along with Gerome Ragni, of the 1967 musical HAIR. He and Ragni were nominated for the 1969 Tony Award for best musical, and they won for best musical at the 11th Annual Grammy Awards.

Gerome Ragni, Book & Lyrics

Gerome was an American actor, singer, and songwriter, best known as one of the stars and co-writers of the 1967 musical Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical. On June 18, 2009, he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Arthur Terence Galt MacDermot was a Canadian-American composer, pianist and writer of musical theater. He won a Grammy Award for the song "African Waltz" in 1960. His most successful musicals were HAIR and Two Gentlemen of Verona. MacDermot also composed music for film soundtracks, jazz and funk albums, and classical music, and his music has been sampled in hit hip-hop songs and albums. He is best known for his work on HAIR, which produced three number-one singles in 1969: "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In", "Good Morning Starshine", and the title song "Hair".

Isaac Lamb, Director
(He/Him)

Isaac is a directing graduate of Loyola Marymount University’s School of Film and Television and a Company Member of Third Rail Repertory Theatre. Favorite directing projects include: The Music Man, Arlington, The Angry Brigade, and Annapurna (Third Rail); The Bells That Still Can Ring (Portland Center Stage); Once, Fly By Night, Ordinary Days, and the world premiere of Loch Lomond (Broadway Rose); Grounded and the world premiere of db (CoHo); Mother Teresa is Dead (Portland Playhouse); Junie B. Jones and Ivy and Bean (Oregon Children’s Theatre); The Wizard of Oz (PHAME); Ordo Virtutum (In Mulieribus). Isaac was the resident director for the National Tour and Las Vegas productions of Defending the Caveman, Broadway’s longest running one-man show, and he remains an actor, educator, and filmmaker. Proud member SDC. isaaclamb.com

(She/Her)

Muffie is a choreographer, performer, and movement researcher. Her performance work is part of her activist practice, and in both arenas, she is informed by her identity as a Chicago-born xicana mother. Her work has been presented across the United States at Links Hall (Chicago), Packer Schopf Gallery (Chicago), The Art Institute of Chicago, Movement Research Festival (New York), The Gibney Dance Center (New York), and in Portland at White Bird, Performance Works Northwest, and the Newmark Theater. She has previously choreographed for Portland Center Stage in Earth Without Borders/Tierra Sin Fronteras, A Midsummer’s Night Dream and tick, tick … BOOM! She is one of five artistic leaders of the FLOCK Dance Center. More at: muffiedelgadoconnelly.com or IG: @muffiedelgadoconnelly

Ty Chiko, Music Director

Dr. Ty Chiko is celebrated as one of the Bahamas’ Top 40 Under 40 and is known as one of the premier voices of his home country. He received a Doctorate of Musical Arts degree from Arizona State University in August of 2023.  Ty is the founder of a new and exciting company, Every Body Has a Song, which utilizes singing to help build community and inspire sense of belonging. He is the winner of multiple awards and has made appearances on NPR and other notable podcasts and radio shows. Ty currently serves as the Executive Assistant at Portland Opera and is thrilled to be making his debut with Portland Center Stage!

Diggle, Scenic Designer

Diggle is a proud Gay Mexican designer with Indigenous Mexica (Aztec) roots. Selected credits: Travels (ARS Nova); Merry Wives of Windsor (Old Globe); The Harder They Come (Public Theater); Cowboy Bob (Alley Theatre/NAMT); Gruesome Playground Injuries (St. Louis Rep); Fires in the Mirror (Baltimore Center Stage/Long Wharf Theatre); Shakespeare: Call & Response (Public’s Mobile Unit); The Conversationalists (Bushwick Starr); Decky Does A Bronco (Royal Family); Red Emma & The Mad Monk (Tank/ANT Fest); Electra, Fade (DTC). Upcoming Projects with PCS Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy, Really (Portland Center Stage) www.diggledesigns.com,  @diggle_designs

Lucy Wells, Costume Designer
(She/Her)

Lucy is a costume designer and the costume shop supervisor at Portland Center Stage. She is originally from Jackson, Mississippi and holds a B.F.A. from the University of Southern Mississippi. Lucy is now based in Portland but has spent her 10 year career traveling and working as a costume designer, costume stitcher, and wardrobe supervisor at such theaters as Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Idaho Shakespeare Festival, Third Rail Rep, Orpheus PDX, Berkshire Theatre Group, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, The Rev Theatre, and Shakespeare & Company. This is Lucy's third season as shop manager at PCS and her second costume design for PCS. She is always thankful and excited for the collaborative process of bringing a production to life. Lucy is a member of IATSE local 154. lucywellscostumes.com

Carl Faber, Lighting Designer
(He/Him)

Carl is delighted to return to PCS after designing Macbeth and Midsummer Night's Dream. Recently around town: Absence: Terence Blanchard (Portland Opera), Snapshots (Broadway Rose), Sanctuaries (Third Angle), Magellanica (Artists Rep), Fires in the Mirror (Profile), John (Third Rail). Outside of Portland: Arena Stage, Boston ICA, Ars Nova, ADF, and Oklahoma Contemporary, as well as touring production for Bruce Springsteen, Bon Iver, & The National. Carl has also served as a light artist at Eaux Claires Music & Arts Festival and is a founding member of Woodshed Collective (NYC). Education: Vassar College. Member: United Scenic Artists Local USA 829. www.carlfaber.com

Scott Thorson, Sound Designer

Scott Thorson is thrilled to return to Portland Center Stage where he worked as a sound engineer from 2010 to 2017. PCS credits include sound designer for The Mountaintop, The Typographers Dream, Sex with Strangers, People’s Republic of Portland and live audio engineer for the world premiere musicals of Somewhere in Time and LIZZIE. Other Portland designs include Third Rail Rep's Sweet and Sad, Noises Off, and Middletown, Ivy + Bean for Oregon Children's Theatre, Up the Fall for PHAME, Erin Leddy’s My Mind is Like an Open Meadow (Drammy Award), Hand2Mouth’s Uncanny Valley and Sean Andries’s Fish Girl (Best in Fest, San Francisco Fringe). Scott is a licensed architect specializing in theater design for BRIC Architecture. He is a proud Cully resident and Rigler Elementary parent.

Jessica Miller, Wig Designer
(She/Her)

Jessica is thrilled to be back at Portland Center Stage as Wig Designer for HAIR. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in costume design from the University of Oregon where she was able to explore the art of wig making and design! Some shows of note are The Color Purple, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill and most recently Rent and Ms. Holmes and Ms. Watson — Apt. 2B.

Kamilah Bush, Dramaturg
(She/Her)

Kamilah is a playwright and dramaturg originally from North Carolina. She currently holds the position of literary manager at Portland Center Stage in Portland, OR. Kamilah has spent several years working in celebrated regional theaters across the country, including Triad Stage in Greensboro, NC, Asolo Repertory Theater in Sarasota, FL and Two River Theater in Red Bank, NJ.

Nicole Marie Green, Associate Director
(She/Her/They)

Nicole is a multi-hyphenate artist often seen directing, acting, and teaching around Portland. Nicole has directed The Nance by Douglas Carter Beane and Casa Valentina by Harvey Fierstein with Spinning Tree Theatre, as well as Women by Chiara Atik with UMKC. She has also been seen acting most recently in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time with Portland Center Stage and Kissing the Witch with Corrib Theatre. Nicole is also a professor of acting at Portland State University and a proud member of actors equity association with a masters degree in both acting and directing from University of Missouri - Kansas City.

Janine Vanderhoff, Stage Manager
(She/Her)

Janine is thrilled to return for her eighth season at Portland Center Stage. She has been a stage manager and production manager for more than 20 years on Broadway, Off-Broadway, regionally, and on tour. Some of her favorites include tick, tick ... BOOM!, RENT, Frida ... A Self Portrait, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Macbeth, A Christmas Memory/Winter Song, Wild & Reckless (Portland Center Stage); Sweeney Todd (Portland Opera); The Lion King (Broadway); The Graduate (starring Morgan Fairchild), Cats, The Vagina Monologues, Jekyll & Hyde, Show Boat (National Tours); The Daily Show with Jon Stewart “Democalypse 2012 Republican National Convention.” Proud NYU graduate and AEA member.

Kristina Mast, Assistant Stage Manager
(She/Her)

Kristina is a stage manager from Corvallis, OR. Previous Portland Center Stage credits: August Wilson's Gem Of The Ocean, Wild and Reckless, Lauren Weedman Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, and two summers of JAW. She has also worked locally with Portland Playhouse, Third Rail Repertory Theatre, CoHo Productions, and Portland Experimental Theatre Ensemble. She is a company member and resident stage manager for Portland Experimental Theatre Ensemble.

Amanda Vander Hyde, Intimacy Coordinator

Amanda graduated from Western Oregon University in 2018 with a B.F.A. in technical production. She is a freelance intimacy choreographer in the Portland area. She has worked as an intimacy professional on many pieces in the past season at Portland Center Stage, including RENT and Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson – Apt. 2B. She works as the resident intimacy choreographer at Valley Shakespeare Company and has worked in various spaces as an intimacy coach to young professionals. Currently, she is also the production manager of MediaRites Productions, one of the stage managers in rep at Oregon Children's Theatre, and on the stage management team at Portland Center Stage for their 2022-2023 season. In her ample spare time, she is also a friend, a wife, and a cat mom.

Andrea Zee, NYC Casting Director
(She/Her)

Andrea is ready to dive right into s-ending love into the universe! Upcoming: A developmental workshop for In Pieces and a national tour for Nickelodeon. Off-Broadway/NYC: Romeo and Juliet (NAATCO); A Delicate Balance (NAATCO/Transport Group); Our Man In Santiago; Golden Shield (MTC); Where The Wild Things Are (New Victory); Neurosis; Syncing Ink; New York Stage and Film; Dramatists Guild Foundation; ACLU/NYCLU. National Tours: Yemandja; The Sound of Music; Bullets Over Broadway; Elf The Musical; Finding Neverland. Regional: Portland Center Stage, 5th Avenue Theatre, Two River Theater, Virginia Theatre Festival, Florida Studio Theatre, Arrow Rock Lyceum, Alley Theater, TUTS. Associate credits include numerous Broadway, film, television, and commercial projects. zee-casting.com.

Steph Landtiser, Production Assistant

KIMKIM (Juhee Kim), Assistant Scenic Designer

David Saffert, Rehearsal Pianist

Taz Coffey, Deck Hand

Will Bailey, Dresser

Nikki Paulson (She/Her), Swing Dresser

Jenna Cady (They/Them), Costume Design Assistant

Abby Wienman, Wardrobe

Asta Baker, Audio Engineer

Foggy Bell, Maia Denzler Stitcher, Brianca Robinson, Stitchers

Heather Taylor (She/Her), Costume Maintenance

Melissa Heller, Crafts Artisan

Miranda Nolten, Wig Artisan

Roy Joshua Antonio, Bennet Berkower, Jesse Harkin, Zachary Horn, Allison Knight-Blaine, Steph Landtiser, Dug Martell, Kelli McCloskey, Esther McFaden, Myke Rodriguez, Megan Thorpe, Laurel Vonderau, Lighting Electricians 

Special Thanks to Scott James at Five OHM Productions

Critic Reviews

"This concert-like musical had the audience whooping and clapping ... Overall, HAIR is a huge amount of fun." —BroadwayWorld

“A delight for the senses.” —ShoutOut

“…this boundary-breaking show manages to tackle incredibly heavy content with a sweetness and joy that should feel incongruous but doesn’t.” —PDX Parent

“It’s a huge, joyous collective energy lift.” —Oregon ArtsWatch

"A gifted cast sings new life into the anti-war Vietnam-era musical" —Portland Mercury

"The connections between 1968 and 2023 are loud and clear."  "{HAIR} embodies an aching hopefulness" —Willamette Week

Wigmaker, Jes, helps HAIR weave its own hirsute world at Portland Center Stage. —The Oregonian, interviews Jessica Miller, wig designer of HAIR

Audience Raves

"So glad we saw this. One of my favorite theater experiences ever. 👏👏👏"

"HAIR was 🔥, go see it."

"There's a reason I am still here- this show reminded me of it."

"So hopeful and full of love."

"Loved everything (except my husband's singing)."

"Exceptional!"

"Captured the essence of the first. So well done!"

National Reviews

HAIR never took itself too seriously, but as the first of many rock musicals to come, it wormed its way into our permanent consciousness. And its anthems became part and parcel of its generation.” –BroadwayWorld

“Their musical perfectly captured the counterculture’s utopian dream. Our grim decade seems ripe for revived hippy happiness. HAIR is back — and alive and kicking.” –Your Observer

HAIR is celebratory. It’s also satirical, fast-moving, a little raunchy. HAIR conveys its characters’ complicated lives in a unique way.” –Chester Telegraph

Triumphant, glorious, and breathtaking! Hair is a musical for the ages because it's a musical for the now." –New York Post

Tune in, turn on, and be prepared for an exhilarating ride. Hair is transcendent, with a scrumptious rock-candy score and a flawless cast!" –USA Today

“Before cell phones, the internet, and alternate forms of digital communication invited people to text and talk on a computer screen as an alternative to seeing someone in person, Hair highlights the value of in-person camaraderie, especially when things seem to be falling apart.  Set in war-torn 1968 and focusing on a tribe of hippies that could possibly be drafted, emotionally and physically holding onto each other helps them cope in a world gone mad.” –The Sleepless Critic

“Sexual freedom and the courage to resist cultural norms exhilarate this tribe of hippies, draft dodgers, drug takers, interracial lovers, protesters, and free-love advocates.”  –Seven Day SVT

"Raucous, powerful, exuberant and achingly timely, Hair finds a modern pulse of fury and hope." –Newsday

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