Jonathan Groff to Star in Hair, Michael Stuhlbarg Will Play Hamlet in Central Park

The Public Theater's 2008 schedule at Central Park's Delacorte Theatre will include Michael Stuhlbarg and Richard Easton in Hamlet, followed by Jonathan Groff and Will Swenson in Hair. Hamlet will begin previews on May 27 and run through June 29, directed by Public Theater artistic director Oskar Eustis. Hair, which had a two-night concert run in Central Park late last summer with Groff as Claude and Swenson as Berger, begins performances on July 22 and runs through August 17, directed by Diane Paulus.

With Stuhlbarg in the title role and Easton as Polonius, Hamlet will get its first Shakespeare in the Park staging since 1975, when Sam Waterston starred as the Danish prince. "Both Park shows this year center on idealistic, brilliant men as they struggle to find their place in a world marred by war, violence, and venal politics," Eustis said in a statement. "They see both the luminous possibilities and the harshest realities of being human. In the end, unable to effectively combat the evil around them, they tragically succumb."

Hair, which features a book and lyrics by James Rado and Gerome Ragni and music by Galt MacDermot, officially opened the Public's current off-Broadway home. On April 29, 1968, it became the first off-Broadway musical to transfer to Broadway, where it ran for 1,873 performances. According to the Public's news release, the full 27-member company of last summer's 40th anniversary concerts has been invited back, but complete casting won't be confirmed for a few weeks.

Stuhlbarg received a Tony nomination for The Pillowman and has appeared on Broadway in The Invention of Love, Cabaret, Taking Sides, Timon Of Athens, The Government Inspector and Saint Joan His Public Theater credits include Measure for Pleasure, Twelfth Night, The Winter's Tale, A Dybbuk, Henry VIII, Richard II, All's Well That Ends Well and Woyzeck. Other off-Broadway credits include The Voysey Inheritance, Belle Epoque, The Mysteries, The Persians, The Grey Zone, Cymbeline and Old Wicked Songs.

Easton won a Best Actor Tony for The Invention of Love and has appeared on Broadway in The Coast of Utopia trilogy, The Rivals, Henry IV, Noises Off, Exit the King, The Misanthrope, The Cherry Orchard, Hamlet, Cock-a-Doodle-Dandy, Back to Methuselah, The Country Wife and School for Scandal. His off-Broadway credits include Entertaining Mr. Sloane, Bach at Leipzig, Waste, Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the Somme, Hotel Universe, Give Me Your Answer, Do! and Salad Days.

Groff is currently starring as Melchior in Spring Awakening, for which he received a Best Actor Tony Award nomination. Other theater credits include In My Life, The Sound of Music, Fame, Honk! and Bat Boy.

Swenson is currently appearing at the Vineyard Theatre in The Slug Bearers of Kayrol Island. He was featured in last season's Broadway revival of 110 in the Shade and has appeared in the Broadway productions of Lestat and Brooklyn. He appeared in Two Gentlemen of Verona at the Public and was part of the off-Broadway cast of Adrift In Macao.