The 2010 Tony winning Best Musical MEMPHIS welcomed legendary radio personality and author, "Cousin Brucie" Morrow to the Shubert theatre for a special one week only cameo appearance last night, May 3, 2011. He will play in the show through Sunday May 8, 2011. This event coincides with the release of Cousin Brucie's paperback edition, Rock & Roll...And the Beat Goes On; which is a tribute to the great musicians of the 50s, 60s and 70s. Autographed copies of the book are available at the theatre during his show appearances.
In MEMPHIS, Cousin Brucie opens the show with an expanded cameo part written especially for him by book writer Joe DiPietro. According to Cousin Brucie, "When I first saw the show, I felt as if the script was written about my life in radio-I was amazed how accurate the characters portrayed a time in music that I will never forget. It's no wonder the show has won Tony Awards for Best Musical, Best Score, Best Book, and Best Orchestration, and I can't wait to be part of the celebration."
Cousin Brucie is a 40-year, on-air personality, and the only radio broadcaster in NYC to have a street named after him. He was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1988, the Broadcasting & Cable's Hall of Fame in 1990, and the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2001. Rock & Roll...And the Beat Goes On is Cousin Brucie's third book; and his autobiography, Cousin Brucie: My Life in Rock & Roll Radio was a bestseller as was his classic, Doo Wop: The Music, The Times, The Era.
Cousin Brucie is still a nationally recognized force over the airwaves, and has been with SiriusXM Radio since 2005. Listeners can groove with their favorite deejay twice a week on "Cruisin' with Cousin Brucie" and "Cousin Brucie's Saturday Rock and Roll Party," which can be heard on 60s on 6, Sirius and XM channel 6. Cousin Brucie is also seen regularly on PBS television's My Music series, and was featured in the movies, "Dirty Dancing," and "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band." Along with Ed Sullivan, Cousin Brucie introduced the Beatle's during their historic Shea Stadium concerts.
MEMPHIS takes place in the smoky halls and underground clubs of the segregated 50's, where a young white DJ named Huey Calhoun (Chad Kimball) fell in love with everything he shouldn't: rock and roll and an electrifying black singer (Montego Glover). MEMPHIS is an original story about the cultural revolution that erupted when his vision met her voice, and the music changed forever.
Critically acclaimed MEMPHIS won four 2010 Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Original Score (David Bryan and Joe DiPietro), Best Book (Joe DiPietro), and Best Orchestrations (David Bryan and Daryl Waters). MEMPHIS won four Drama Desk Awards including Outstanding Musical, Outstanding Performance by an Actress (Montego Glover), Outstanding Music (David Bryan) and Outstanding Orchestration (David Bryan and Daryl Waters). MEMPHIS has also won four Outer Critic Circle Awards including Outstanding Musical, Outstanding Score (David Bryan & Joe DiPietro), Outstanding Actress (Montego Glover) and Outstanding Choreography (Sergio Trujillo).
MEMPHIS features a Tony-winning score with music by Bon Jovi's founding member/keyboardist David Bryan and lyrics by Bryan and Tony-winner Joe DiPietro (I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change), who also pens the musical's book. MEMPHIS is based on a concept by the late George W. George (producer of the Tony nominated Bedroom Farce and the film My Dinner With Andre), with direction by Tony nominee Christopher Ashley (Xanadu) and choreography by Sergio Trujillo (Jersey Boys).
Tickets range from $41.50 to $131.50 (including a $1.50 facility fee). The performance schedule is as follows: Tuesday at 7pm, Wednesday - Saturday evenings at 8pm, Wednesdays and Saturdays at 2pm, and Sundays at 3pm. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.Telecharge.com or call 212.239.6200.
For more information visit www.MemphisTheMusical.com.
