Playwright
Gerome Ragni (1935-1991) From Pittsburgh PA, Gerome was the youngest of a large family with six sisters and two brothers. After four years as a medic in the United States Air Force, he began acting and was recognized by winning the Barter Theatre Award as Outstanding Young Actor. He appeared on Broadway in John Gielgud’s Hamlet featuring Richard Burton, and he starred off-Broadway in The Knack. He was involved with The Open Theater (which he named) studying experimental theater techniques with Nola Chilton and Joseph Chaikin. With James Rado he co-created the American Tribal Love-Rock Musical HAIR, and their lyrics were set to music by Galt MacDermot. A dynamic stage and life presence, he originated the role of Berger in HAIR. On his own, he authored the Broadway musical Dude, with score by MacDermot. He teamed up with another composer, Steve Margoshes, who wrote the music for the Ragni opus Jack Sound and His Dog Star Blowing His Final Trumpet on the Day of Doom. Soon thereafter, he and Rado rejoined forces to collaborate on a new musical they called Sun. A gifted actor and prolific writer and painter, he originated “paper-napkin art” and he wrote a volume of dynamic poetry under the pen name Virginia Miller. He passed in 1991. His son, Erick Ragni, is an innovative architect.