Galt MacDermot

Galt MacDermot will remain forever famous for his breakthrough music for the stage play and subsequent movie iHairi It was the first socalled rock opera The play opened offBroadway on October 17 1967 presented by Joseph Papp the Public Theater It was a huge hit performed to standing room only It ran for 15 previews 50 performances The show then was reworked and opened at The Cheetah a converted disco on December 22 1967 and ran through January 28 1968 It then reopened with some cast changes on April 29 1968 on Broadway a date chosen by the producers astrologer at the Biltmore Theater where it went on to make Broadway history The Canadian production of iHairi was originally staged at The Royal Alexandra in Toronto where it ran for 53 weeks after opening on January 11 1970 He also wrote the score to a Tonywinning adaptation of emTwo Gentlemen of Veronaem He died at his home on Staten Island one day before his 90th birthday The cause of death was not immediately known according to his daughter Elizabeth MacDermotbrbrbr