Get ready to let the sunshine in because Hair the Musical is back and bolder than ever. At Melbourne’s Athenaeum Theatre, Alex Cooper and Maverick Newman lead a fearless new production of the groundbreaking rock musical that defined a generation. More than 50 years after it first shocked audiences, Hair continues to challenge, provoke, and inspire asking what freedom, identity, and rebellion really mean in 2025.
🎭 Hair the Musical 📍 Athenaeum Theatre, Melbourne 🗓️25 October to 22 November 🎟️www.hairthemusical.com.au
Directed with a fresh eye and a big heart, this revival doesn’t just revisit the counterculture movement — it reimagines it for a new era. Alex and Maverick bring electric energy and emotional depth to their roles, exploring themes of peace, protest, and personal awakening. From the iconic number “Let the Sunshine In” to the haunting “Where Do I Go”, every song becomes a mirror held up to today’s world where questions of war, race, gender, and freedom still burn bright.
In conversation with host Andrew G on Showtime, the pair reflect on the show’s raw honesty and enduring relevance. They share how rehearsals sparked tough but necessary conversations about identity, inclusion, and truth proving that the real magic of Hair lies in its ability to unite people through empathy and understanding.
🤠 For the latest theatre updates and behind-the-scenes insights, follow Andrew G on Instagram: @AndrewGShowtime
ALEX COOPER is a core member of the Australian Shakespeare Company for the past five years, performing in a wide range of beloved productions. His stage credits include Otter, Cop, Judge, and Weasel in The Wind in the Willows; Bagheera in Jungle Book: The Next Chapter; and Major Minor Key in Captain Jack’s Pirate Party. Within the ASC’s Shakespeare repertoire, Alex has portrayed Claudio in Much Ado About Nothing and Benvolio in Romeo & Juliet, both featured in the 2023 summer season.
Beyond his extensive stage work, Alex’s theatre appearances also include Leske’s Method (Cameron Sievers) and Second Coming (Andrew R. Kelly). On screen, Alex is best known for his role as Cody in Chris Lilley’s Ja’mie: Private School Girl, and has also appeared in Please Like Me (Josh Thomas, ABC Network) and The Newsreader (Emma Freeman, ABC Network).
His portrayal of Claude in Hair the Musical marks a defining moment in his artistic journey — one that blends his passion for storytelling with his belief in the power of theatre to inspire empathy and self-discovery.
MAVERICK NEWMAN is a graduate of the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (BA in Music Theatre), Maverick was most recently seen as Willard in Footloose The Musical and as Michael in The Boys in the Band (JTC).
In 2023, Maverick was nominated for a Sydney Theatre Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical for his dynamic performance playing twelve characters in the smash-hit Murder for Two (Hayes Theatre Co.), which enjoyed multiple return seasons, including critically acclaimed runs at Arts Centre Melbourne and Riverside Parramatta.
Other notable stage credits include Emilia in The Comedy of Errors (Australian Shakespeare Company); Britt Craig in Parade (Soundworks Productions); Donny/Junee in A Model Murder (Sydney Festival/LPD); Chandler/Janice in Friends! The Musical Parody (SK Entertainment); and Mr. Toad in The Wind in the Willows (Australian Shakespeare Company).
An award-winning writer, Maverick’s creative works include Tis The Season… (recipient of the Green Room Award for Best Original Songs), Finding Felix: A Memoir (nominated for four Green Room Awards), and Maverick Newman in Conversation with Maverick Newman (Hayes Theatre Co. & Athenaeum Theatre). Maverick is proudly represented by Sue Barnett & Associates.
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