Paul Michael "HANG DOWN YOUR HEAD AND DIE" Jill O'Hara 1964 FLOP Press Photo

Description

This is a rare glossy 8" X 10" inch press photograph of PAUL MICHAEL surrounded by
VIRGINIA MASON, JENNY O'HARA, JILL O'HARA, TERI PHILLIPS, RIA TAWNEY and NANCY TRIBUSH
in a scene from the Original Off-Broadway production of the obscure DAVID WRIGHT musical revue "HANG DOWN YOUR HEAD AND DIE" at the Mayfair Theatre in New York City. (The production opened October 18th, 1964 and closed the same night after only one performance.) ..... The ensemble cast included MICHAEL BERKSON, BEN BRYANT, JORDAN CHARNEY, DAVID GARFIELD, CHARLES GREY, ROBERT JACKSON, GEORGE MARCY, PAUL MICHAEL, JAMES RADO, GEROME RAGNI, REMAK RAMSAY, VIRGINIA MASON, JENNY O'HARA, JILL O'HARA, TERI PHILLIPS, RIA TAWNEY and NANCY TRIBUSH ..... Side note: This musical revue had a clear message of opposition to capital punishment and was savaged by the "New York Times" (
"Death by hanging is swift, but ‘Hang Down Your Head and Die’ makes a long evening of it."). The show's only real significance was nurturing a friendship among two cast members, who three years later would alter musical theatre for a generation to come. Those two young men were
JAMES RADO and
GEROME RAGNI, who would write the book and lyrics for the American Tribal Love Rock Musical "HAIR".
The two actors met during rehearsals for
Hang Down Your Head and Die
, and began writing
Hair
together in early 1965. The main characters of "Claude" and "Berger" were autobiographical, Rado's "Claude" being the pensive romantic and Ragni's "Berger" the extrovert. Their close relationship, sometimes volatile, is symbolized in the show by the well known ballad "Easy to be Hard". Jill O'Hara, who also met Rado and Ragni in
Hang Down Your Head and Die
, appeared in the Original Off-Broadway production of
Hair
,
introducing the song "Good Morning Starshine", but left the show before the Broadway opening at the Biltmore Theatre ..... CREDITS: Devised by DAVID WRIGHT; Sets and Costumes designed by FRED VOELPEL; Musical Direction by JONATHAN ANDERSON; Directed and Choreographed by BRAHAM MURRAY; Produced by MARION JAVITS in association with MICHAEL CODRON ..... DETAILS: This rare glossy press photo measures 10" X 8" inches, has a margin at the top only and is credited to "FRIEDMAN-ABELES", Photographers of New York City on the backside (second scanned image). Includes photocopies of two press sheets with performance details, cast list and two clipped newspaper photos, one of Gerome Ragni (third scanned image) ..... CONDITION: This rare photo is in excellent condition and will make a wonderful addition to the collection of any musical theatre aficionado or historian. This set will be carefully packaged in a protective, carded sleeve and backed by stiff cardboard.