1. Early Life
James Rado's formative years were marked by a blend of East Coast and West Coast influences, laying the groundwork for his later artistic endeavors.
1.1. Childhood and Education
Born James Alexander Radomski on January 23, 1932, in Los Angeles, Rado was raised across different American cities, including Irondequoit, New York, and Washington, D.C.. During his college years, Rado pursued a major in Speech and Drama at the University of Maryland, College Park, where he first began to explore his talent for songwriting. He co-authored two musical shows, Interlude and Interlude II, during his time there. Following his graduation, Rado served two years in the United States Navy. He then continued his academic pursuits, returning to Washington, D.C., for graduate work at The Catholic University of America, where he co-authored a musical revue titled Cross Your Fingers. Throughout these early projects, Rado was responsible for writing both the lyrics and music for his songs.
1.2. Early Career and Activities
After completing his graduate studies, James Rado relocated to New York City to further his acting career, where he studied under the renowned acting coach Lee Strasberg. Concurrently, he also ventured into pop music, recording songs with his own band, "James Alexander and the Argyles." His professional stage debut on Broadway occurred in 1963 with the production of Marathon '33. In 1966, Rado took on the significant role of Richard Lionheart in the original Broadway production of The Lion in Winter by James Goldman, starring alongside esteemed actors Robert Preston and Rosemary Harris. It was during this period, specifically in 1964, that Rado first met Gerome Ragni when they both acted in the Off-Broadway play Hang Down Your Head and Die. Their collaboration continued when both Rado and Ragni were cast as Tom and Tolan in the Chicago company of Mike Nichols' production of The Knack, a play by Ann Jellicoe.
2. Major Achievement: Musical Hair
The musical Hair stands as James Rado's most significant contribution, profoundly impacting musical theatre and popular culture.
2.1. Creation and Premiere of Hair
James Rado and Gerome Ragni forged a close friendship and began collaborating on Hair in late 1964. Rado described their partnership as a "passionate kind of relationship" that they channeled into creative work, stating, "We put the drama between us on stage." The inspiration for Hair came from the vibrant and dynamic atmosphere of the 1960s counterculture. Rado recounted, "There was so much excitement in the streets and the parks and the hippie areas, and we thought if we could transmit this excitement to the stage it would be wonderful.... We hung out with them and went to their Be-Ins [and] let our hair grow." The musical first premiered Off-Broadway in October 1967 before making its highly anticipated Broadway debut in April 1968.
2.2. Success and Impact of Hair
Upon its Broadway opening, Hair quickly became a cultural sensation. The production enjoyed an impressive run of 1,750 performances on Broadway and led to numerous successful productions worldwide. Its significant cultural footprint was further cemented by a 1979 film adaptation, which brought its themes to an even wider audience. Several songs from the musical's score achieved Top 10 hit status, and numerous albums featuring the songs were released. The enduring legacy of Hair was recognized with a 2009 Broadway revival, which earned the Tony Award for Best Revival and subsequently opened in London's West End. The musical's themes of anti-war sentiment, sexual liberation, drug use, environmentalism, and racial harmony deeply resonated with the burgeoning counterculture movement, cementing its place as a pivotal work that challenged societal norms and pushed the boundaries of musical theatre.
2.3. Role in Hair
While James Rado did not perform the role of Claude when Hair premiered Off-Broadway, he originated the character of Claude on Broadway, performing opposite Gerome Ragni who played Berger. Rado also reprised his role as Claude in the later Los Angeles production of the musical. To a certain extent, the main characters of Claude and Berger were autobiographical, with Rado's Claude embodying a pensive and romantic persona, reflecting aspects of Rado himself.
3. Post-Hair Work
Following the immense success of Hair, James Rado continued to contribute to musical theatre, exploring new themes and artistic directions.
3.1. Rainbow
After the initial run of Hair, Rado and Ragni pursued individual projects for a period in the early 1970s. While Ragni collaborated with Hair composer Galt MacDermot on Dude, Rado embarked on a new musical project titled The Rainbow Rainbeam Radio Roadshow, often shortened to Rainbow. For this show, Rado collaborated on the book with his brother, Ted Rado, and composed his own music and lyrics. Rainbow premiered Off-Broadway at the Orpheum Theater in December 1972. The musical served as a spiritual sequel to Hair, featuring a character named Man who had been killed in the Vietnam War and now resided in a mystical "Rainbow land." The renowned critic Clive Barnes offered a positive review in The New York Times, praising Rainbow as "joyous and life-assertive" and highlighting Rado's "sweet and fresh music and lyrics." Over the years, Rainbow underwent numerous revisions. Some versions made it a more explicit sequel to Hair, such as Rainbow: The Ghost of Vietnam in the late 1990s. Other iterations became more abstract, including Billy Earth: The New Rainbow and later American Soldier: The White Haunted House. The latest version of the show, titled Supersoldier, received a staged reading on October 14, 2013, presented by actor Sam Underwood's Fundamental Theater Project in collaboration with the New York Theatre Barn. Rado had previously collaborated with the Fundamental Theater Project in 2010, taking on the role of Hamlet's Ghost in the company's benefit reading of Hamlet.
3.2. Sun
In 1974, James Rado reunited with Gerome Ragni to co-write another musical, Sun (Audio Movie). This production featured music by Steve Margoshes and was based on a play by New York writer Joyce Greller. The musical delved into themes of pollution and environmental concerns, showcasing Rado's continued engagement with social issues. Initially, an early version of the musical, then known as YMCA, was staged for backers in 1976 in a workshop directed by John Vaccaro, featuring appearances by Ruby Lynn Reyner and Annie-Joe Edwards. Sun was later presented at the Howl! Arts Project in 2011. Additionally, another version of Sun, with a score composed by Hair collaborator Galt MacDermot, was presented in a concert format in 1998.
3.3. Other shows
James Rado and Gerome Ragni continued their collaboration, later writing another musical with Steve Margoshes titled Jack Sound and His Dog Star Blowing His Final Trumpet on the Day of Doom. This show ran at La MaMa in the summer of 1978.
4. Personal Life
James Rado's personal life included a significant and public relationship with his co-author, Gerome Ragni. Rado openly discussed their close bond, describing it as a "passionate kind of relationship" that fueled their creative collaboration. In a 2008 interview with The Advocate, Rado publicly described himself for the first time as omnisexual and spoke candidly about having been Ragni's lover. This disclosure highlighted Rado's personal journey and contributed to greater visibility for LGBT individuals in the arts.
5. Later Years and Activities
Following Gerome Ragni's death in 1991, James Rado remained actively involved in developing new productions of Hair. His commitment included directing an 11-city national tour of the musical in 1994 and contributing to the 2006 CanStage production in Toronto.
From 2011 onward, Rado served as a creative consultant for Barcode, a futuristic rock musical written and workshopped by members of the New York indie band Gladshot. The musical premiered in August 2013 at the New York International Fringe Festival. On December 3, 2011, Rado performed songs from Barcode at Occupy Wall Street's "Occupy Broadway" event, demonstrating his continued engagement with socially conscious themes.
In addition to his stage work, Rado appeared as himself in several documentary films that chronicled the impact of Hair and his career. These appearances include Hair: The 40 Year History (2007) and Agnès Varda's Beaches (2008). He also had acting roles in the 1979 film adaptation of Hair and the 1969 film The Lion in Winter, reprising his stage role.
6. Death
James Rado died on June 21, 2022, at a hospital in Manhattan, New York City, at the age of 90. The cause of his death was cardiorespiratory arrest.
7. Assessment and Impact
James Rado's contributions to American musical theatre are significant, primarily defined by his role in co-creating Hair, a work that left an indelible mark on culture and society.
7.1. Positive Assessment
Rado's most profound legacy lies in the enduring influence of Hair. The musical was a pioneering work that fearlessly addressed topics such as the Vietnam War, sexual freedom, drug experimentation, environmentalism, and racial equality, reflecting and shaping the counterculture movement of the 1960s. Its innovative structure, integration of rock music, and daring themes broke new ground in musical theatre, making it a powerful and accessible artistic expression of a generation's anxieties and hopes. Rado's commitment to portraying the raw energy and social consciousness of the era made Hair a timeless piece that continues to resonate with audiences, impacting subsequent generations of artists and social activists. His personal courage in publicly discussing his sexuality also contributed to a more open dialogue about personal identity.
7.2. Criticism and Controversy
While Hair itself generated considerable controversy upon its release due to its explicit themes, nudity, and anti-establishment stance, this controversy was largely a reflection of the social upheaval it depicted rather than a direct criticism of James Rado personally. No specific controversies or significant criticisms regarding Rado's personal life or professional conduct, beyond the initial social shock of Hairs themes, are widely reported in the available source material. Instead, the "controversy" of Hair can be seen as integral to its groundbreaking impact, as it challenged the norms of both the stage and society, pushing boundaries and fostering open discussion on vital social issues.