Shout! Factory and Broadway Worldwide, Inc. today announced a new deal to bring Broadway's 2010 Tony Award®-winning Best Musical MEMPHIS to the home entertainment marketplace in the U.S. and Canada. Under this multi-year agreement, Shout! Factory will be the exclusive home entertainment distributor to release MEMPHIS featuring the original Broadway cast, on Blu-rayTM, DVD and for digital download. This announcement was made by Shout! Factory's founding partners Richard Foos, Bob Emmer and Garson Foos; and Broadway Worldwide's founder and CEO Bruce Brandwen.
"We are thrilled by this opportunity to join forces with Broadway Worldwide to bring this extraordinary Broadway hit MEMPHIS and its compelling story to fans and audiences nationwide for home entertainment," stated Shout! Factory's founding partners.
"MEMPHIS is a very special title and the Broadway producers and I are delighted to be working with Shout Factory. They are the ideal distribution partner because they have the best understanding of this unique home video opportunity," said Mr. Brandwen.
"MEMPHIS is proud to make history as the first Best Musical Tony Award® winner to be filmed and released while on Broadway and national tour," said producer Randy Adams. "We could not be more thrilled to bring MEMPHIS into your living room. Hockadoo!"
Shout! Factory plans an initial rollout of MEMPHIS this month with DVD and Blu-ray made available only at venues presenting MEMPHIS on its national tour which launches October 14 in Memphis at the Orpheum Theatre and at the musical's home on Broadway, the historic Shubert Theatre. Blu-ray and DVD's are scheduled to hit retail shelves in January 2012.
MEMPHIS takes place in the smoky halls and underground clubs of the segregated 50's, where a young white DJ named Huey Calhoun fell in love with everything he shouldn't: rock and roll and an electrifying black singer Felicia Farrell. MEMPHIS is an original story about the cultural revolution that erupted when his vision met her voice, and the music changed forever. Bursting off the stage with explosive dancing, irresistible songs and a thrilling tale of fame and forbidden love, this incredible journey is filled with laughter, soaring emotion and roof-raising rock 'n' roll. www.memphisthemusical.com
MEMPHIS boasts a Tony®-winning original score with music and lyrics composed by David Bryan, Grammy Award®-winning keyboard player and founding member of Bon Jovi. The all-star cast features Tony® nominee Chad Kimball, Tony® nominee Montego Glover, Derrick Baskin, J. Bernard Calloway, James Monroe Iglehart, Michael McGrath and Cass Morgan. MEMPHIS is directed on Broadway by Tony® nominee Christopher Ashley with choreography by Sergio Trujillo. MEMPHIS is produced on Broadway by Junkyard Dog Productions, Barbara and Buddy Freitag and Kenny and Marleen Alhadeff with Latitude Link, Jim and Susan Blair, Demos Bizar Entertainment, Land Line Productions, Apples and Oranges Productions, Dave Copley, Dancap Productions, Inc., Alex and Katya Lukianov, Tony Ponturo, 2 Guys Productions, and Richard Winkler in association with Lauren Doll, Eric and Marsi Gardiner, Linda and Bill Potter, Broadway Across America, Jocko Productions, Patty Baker, Dan Frishwasser, Bob Bartner/Scott and Kaylin Union, Loraine Boyle/Chase Mishkin, Remmel T. Dickinson/Memphis Orpheum Group and ShadowCatcher Entertainment/Vijay and Sita Vashee. The high definition presentation is a production of Broadway Worldwide; executive producer Bruce Brandwen; director, Don Roy King; and sound producer, Matt Kaplowitz;
Broadway Worldwide was established in 1995 as first-to-market in the high definition, surround sound production and worldwide distribution of Broadway musicals captured live-in-performance for digital cinema, DVD and television. To date, Broadway Worldwide has captured and distributed, DIRECT FROM BROADWAY®, Best Musical Tony® winner MEMPHIS, Broadway's longest running musical revue, SMOKEY JOE'S CAFE, Stephen Sondheim's PUTTING IT TOGETHER starring Carol Burnett and JEKYLL & HYDE starring David Hasselhoff.
Shout! Factory is a diversified entertainment company devoted to producing, uncovering and revitalizing the very best of pop culture. Founders Richard Foos, Bob Emmer and Garson Foos have spent their careers sharing their music, television and film faves with discerning consumers the world over. Shout! Factory's DVD offerings serve up classic, contemporary and cult TV series, riveting sports programs, live music, animation and documentaries in lavish packages crammed with extras. The company's audio catalogue boasts Grammy®-nominated box sets, new releases from storied artists, lovingly assembled album reissues and indispensable "best of" compilations. These riches are the result of a creative acquisitions mandate that has established the company as a hotbed of cultural preservation and commercial reinvention. Shout! Factory is based in Santa Monica, California. For more on Shout! Factory, visit shoutfactory.com.
