Bargain of the Week

CULTURE CORNER

'Hair' Restoration

The Public Theater's shows in Central Park are as much a part of summer in Manhattan as Italians with fanny packs. And unlike most Big Apple attractions, the shows at Central Park's Delacorte Theater are free. But visitors have always been at a disadvantage: Tickets were distributed only on the day of the show and usually only to those willing to stand in line for five hours or more in the broiling sun. That's still the way most tickets are given out, but this year the Public Theater is throwing out-of-towners a bone, allowing them to enter an online lottery in advance. Register after midnight and before 1 p.m. the day of the show. Results are posted starting at 1:01 p.m. that day, which should leave lottery winners enough time (if they hurry) to zip up to New York. And although the Public's Shakespeare in the Park program is over for the season, you still have time to catch the much-anticipated revival of "Hair." The "American Tribal Love-Rock Musical" returns with everything that made it groundbreaking in 1968: nudity, a terrific score and anti-establishment politics sure to resonate with contemporary audiences.

"Hair" plays at the Delacorte Theater in New York's Central Park through Aug. 31. For information on the online ticket lottery, visit http://www.publictheater.org or call 212-539-8500.

ANIMAL WATCH

Elk and Their Ilk

After our Aug. 3 story on Alaska, several readers took issue with the claim that elk can be found in Denali National Park. ("Elk? Not on my many visits to Alaska," wrote my2cents12 in the article's comments section online.) According to alaskangirl, however, "There ARE elk in Alaska," although she wasn't sure about Denali.

Seeking guidance, we contacted Kris Fister, Denali's public affairs officer. " I haven't heard of any elk sightings here," she told us via e-mail, "and neither has the park wildlife biologist. It would be a noteworthy sighting, as the only elk in Alaska are those that were transplanted here -- they were not endemic to Alaska. There are dozens of buses on the park road each day, with hundreds of visitors, and drivers who spend their working weeks going out in the park. If there would have been an elk sighting here, we would have heard about it."

Well, okay, but we saw something, right?

"When I worked out in the park, many visitors mistook caribou for elk," Fister said, and as the photos below show, it's easy to see why. Can you tell the caribou from the moose from the elk? Answers below.

BARGAIN OF THE WEEK

United is holding a Discover Dubai sale to introduce its new nonstop service from Washington Dulles to Dubai. Round-trip fare is $1,166, including taxes, for travel Oct. 26-Dec. 11 and Dec. 25-31. Saturday night stay required. Other airlines are matching on connecting service. Purchase by Aug. 12 at http://www.united.com, or pay $25 more by calling 800-864-8331.

Reporting: Scott Vogel

Help feed CoGo. Send travel news, road reports and juicy tattles to: cogo@washpost.com. By fax: 202-912-3609. By mail: CoGo, Washington Post Travel Section, 1150 15th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20071.