J. Bernard Calloway News

To celebrate the 100th performance at the hit musical MEMPHIS, the first 100 people who buy tickets at the Shubert Box Office on Thursday, January 14th will get the newly released MEMPHIS Cast Album. In addition MEMPHIS will hold a lottery during the curtain call on Thursday, January 14, 2010 to invite a special member of the audience and their party to join the cast at Justin Timberlake's Manhattan hotspot Southern Hospitality. A winner will be chosen by a random seat location drawing. The lucky winner will then join David Bryan, cast and crew at the celebrity hangout Southern Hospitality. All ticket holders for the Thursday, January 14, 2010 performance are eligible.

MEMPHIS, currently playing at The Shubert Theatre on Broadway starring Chad Kimball and Montego Glover, will dedicate the January 17 performance to The Actors Fund, granting proceeds to the fund in support of their programs and services. The curtain rises on Sunday the 17th at 8:00pm.

A new post on the Memphis blog hints at the possibility of a film version of the musical,and a potential tour, all the while promoting the limited edition of the original Broadway cast recording.

In a special feature this week, the New York Times profiles Broadway's MEMPHIS, providing insight into the show's 6-year journey to Broadway and 900+ rewrites.

The cast of Memphis made a stop at The View on December 17, 2009. MEMPHIS stars Chad Kimball (Huey Calhoun) andMontego Glover (Felicia Farrell) with Derrick Baskin (Gator),J. Bernard Calloway (Delray Jones), James Monroe Iglehart (Bobby), Tony nominee Michael McGrath (Mr. Simmons), and Cass Morgan (Gladys Calhoun).

The Original Broadway Cast Recording of the celebrated new musical MEMPHIS will be available for purchase exclusively at the Shubert Theatre (225 West 44th Street) and online at www.memphisthemusical.com beginning Friday, December 11th.

BWW Discounts is offering you the chance to purchase tickets at a very special price to Broadway's critically hailed MEMPHIS!

The original cast of MEMPHIS will perform the finale number 'Steal Your Rock and Roll' live on Wednesday, December 2, in the 8am (EST) hour on NBC's 'The Today Show.'

The Original Broadway Cast Recording of the celebrated new musical MEMPHIS will be available for purchase exclusively at the Shubert Theatre (225 West 44th Street) and online at www.memphisthemusical.com beginning Friday, December 11th. This special edition will feature a bonus track of "Memphis Lives in Me" performed by composer and Bon Jovi founding member David Bryan. The cast of MEMPHIS recorded the album at Avatar Studios on Monday, November 16, 2009. The recording is produced by Delray Records and nationwide distribution details will be available shortly.

From Show Boat to Finian's Rainbow to Ragtime to Hairspray the racial divide between white America and Americans of African decent has been one of the richest resources for both Broadway musical dramas and musical comedies. And a popular theme of such musicals has been the assimilation of African-American music into the white mainstream. The latest to tackle this topic, Memphis, certainly wouldn't look like the best of the lot on paper, but on stage the gritty sincerity of Joe DiPietro's book coupled with David Bryan's infectiously melodic compositions (they collaborated on the lyrics), under Christopher Ashley's dynamic staging, frequently threaten to tear the roof off of the Shubert Theatre.

Montego Glover, who can currently be seen playing the role of Felicia Farrell on Broadway in the new musical MEMPHIS, will take part in the weekly talk show 'Seth's Broadway Chatterbox' on November 5th.

Michael Dale's review of Memphis, the new Broadway musical. The verdict is positive: Memphis is bursting with gutsy story-telling, convincing performances and exhilarating moments that more than make up for a bit of predictability.

If the gang at Madison Avenue were looking for the perfect spokesmodel to help win support for the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 60s, they couldn't have done better than Rosa Parks, a sweet-looking, modestly dressed woman who spoke with quiet dignity. Or Ezell Blair, Jr., David Richmond, Joseph McNeil and Franklin McCain, the conservatively dressed, well groomed college freshmen who started the Woolworth lunch counter sit-in. White people who feared the consequences of desegregating America could have their views softened with a look at these clean-cut 'credits to their race' (as the old saying went) who were everyday people just like them. And if that sounds like a crass way of referring to the brave souls who put themselves on the front lines in the fight for equality, well that's a major point playwright Tracy Scott Wilson makes with her new drama, The Good Negro.

Today's Broadway Blogs on BroadwayWorld.com from Monday, November 2, 2009.

MEMPHIS, an original Broadway musical, opened on Monday, October 19, 2009 at the Shubert Theatre (225 W. 44th Street) following critically-acclaimed and sold-out engagements at La Jolla Playhouse and Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre. The show and its long journey to Broadway is featured on VanityFair.com.

The colorful Gypsy Robe, embellished with mementos from Broadway musicals, is presented to the cast member who has the most Broadway chorus credits. Recent Gypsy Robe honoree, BYE BYE BIRDIEs' Paula Leggett Chase passed the special Broadway garment on to John Jellison backstage before the opening night performance and BroadwayWorld.com was there to cheer him on!

MEMPHIS, an original Broadway musical opened Monday, October 19, 2009 at the Shubert Theatre (225 W. 44th Street) following critically-acclaimed and sold-out engagements at La Jolla Playhouse and Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre, began previews Wednesday, September 23, 2009. BroadwayWorld and Broadway Beat were on hand to capture all the excitement and celebration of Opening Night to bring you interviews with the cast and creative plus highlights from the show!

MEMPHIS, an original Broadway musical, officially opened last, Monday, October 19, 2009 at the Shubert Theatre (225 W. 44th Street) following critically-acclaimed and sold-out engagements at La Jolla Playhouse and Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre, began previews Wednesday, September 23, 2009.

MEMPHIS, an original Broadway musical, officially opened last, Monday, October 19, 2009 at the Shubert Theatre (225 W. 44th Street) following critically-acclaimed and sold-out engagements at La Jolla Playhouse and Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre, began previews Wednesday, September 23, 2009. BroadwayWorld.com's camera where there as the first night crowd arrived.

From the soaring melodies of classic revivals to the hottest dramas playing today - there is no experience like 'Broadway.' And part of what makes Broadway so exciting is that it's located right smack dab in the middle of New York City! With 'THE BROADWAY LOCAL', World MasterCard celebrates the creative theatre professionals who bring their talents to the city's Broadway stages and call the Big Apple home.