Kimball, Glover, Baskin, Calloway and More Join MEMPHIS On Bdwy, Full Casting Announced

Full casting was announced today for MEMPHIS, an original Broadway musical, opening 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. Previews begin on Wednesday, September 23, 2009.

MEMPHIS will star Chad Kimball (Huey Calhoun) and Montego 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 company also includes Jennifer Allen, Brad Bass, Tracee Beazer, Kevin Covert, Hillary Elk, Dionne Figgins, Rhett George, John Jellison, Sydney Morton, Vivian Nixon, John Eric Parker, Jermaine R. Rembert, LaQuet Sharnell, Ephraim Sykes, Cary Tedder, Danny Tidwell, Daniel J. Watts, Katie Webber, Charlie Williams and Dan'yelle Williamson.

In the smoky halls and underground clubs of the segregated 50's, a young white DJ named Huey Calhoun fell in love with everything he shouldn't: rock and roll and an electrifying black singer. MEMPHIS is an original story about the cultural revolution that erupted when his vision met her voice, and the music changed forever.

MEMPHIS features a brand new score with music by Bon Jovi's founding member/keyboardist David Bryan and lyrics by Bryan and Joe DiPietro (I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change), who also pens the musical's book. Bryan and DiPietro also collaborated on the current award-winning off-Broadway hit, The Toxic Avenger. 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 $126.50 (including a $1.50 facility fee). The performance schedule is as follows: Tuesday - Saturday evenings at 8pm, Wednesdays and Saturdays at 2pm, and Sundays at 3pm. Beginning October 26th, Tuesday evening curtains will be at 7pm. There will be special performance times during previews and holiday weeks. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.Telecharge.com or call 212.239.6200. The Shubert Theatre Box Office will be open beginning August 24th.

MEMPHIS played a limited, sold-out engagement at La Jolla Playhouse from August 19 - September 28, 2008 and received San Diego's Craig Noel Awards for Excellence in Theatre for both Outstanding New Musical of 2008 and for its star Chad Kimball, in the role of DJ Huey Calhoun. The show then played another critically-acclaimed, extremely successful engagement at Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre from January 27 - February 15, 2009. This production was co-produced by La Jolla Playhouse (Christopher Ashley, Artistic Director) and 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle, WA, (David Armstrong, Producing Artistic Director/ Marilynn Sheldon, Managing Director). The world premiere of MEMPHIS in 2003-2004 was co-produced by North Shore Music Theatre in Beverly, MA and TheatreWorks in Silicon Valley, CA.

Scenic Design for MEMPHIS is by Tony Award winner David Gallo (The Drowsy Chaperone, Reasons to Be Pretty), Costume Design is by Tony nominee Paul Tazewell (In The Heights), Lighting Design is by Tony Award winner Howell Binkley (Jersey Boys) and Sound Design is by Ken Travis (The Threepenny Opera).

MEMPHIS will be produced on Broadway by Junkyard Dog Productions, Barbara and Buddy Freitag and Kenny and Marleen Alhadeff with Jim and Susan Blair, Demos Bizar Entertainment, David Copley, Dancap Productions Inc., Latitude Link and Tony Ponturo in association with Broadway Across America, Lauren Doll, Linda and Bill Potter, Chase Mishkin and Patty Baker/ShadowCatcher Entertainment.

For more information visit www.memphisthemusical.com.

Chad Kimball (Huey Calhoun). Chad originated the role of Huey Calhoun in Memphis at the La Jolla Playhouse garnering the San Diego Critics Circle Award for Best Leading Male Performance in a Musical. Later he reprised the role in his hometown of Seattle at the 5th Avenue Theatre. Kimball was seen on Broadway as John Lennon in Lennon at the Broadhurst Theatre. He donned the Guise of Milky-White in the Broadway revival of Into the Woods (also the Broadhurst) with Vanessa Williams. Other Broadway appearances include The Civil War and Good Vibrations. Kimball's Off Broadway appearances include Finian's Rainbow at The Irish Repertory Theatre, My Life with Albertine at Playwrights Horizons and Godspell at the York Theatre. Regionally, Kimball was seen in Sweeney Todd at The Signature Theatre, Baby at Paper Mill Playhouse, and Chess as well as Little Fish at The Blank Theatre in Los Angeles. Mr Kimball won the Bistro Award for his solo concert, which he reprised at Joe's Pub. Kimball is a graduate of the Boston Conservatory. www.chadkimball.com

Montego Glover (Felicia Farrell). Born in Georgia and raised in Tennessee, Montego attended the Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences and continued on to receive her BFA with Honors in Music Theater from Florida State University. Ms. Glover made her Broadway debut in the roles of ‘Celie' and ‘Nettie' in The Color Purple. She has been privileged to travel around the country performing at the Geffen Playhouse, La Jolla Playhouse, Seattle's 5th Ave Theatre, The Huntington Theater and Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera, among many others. Favorite roles include Sarah in Ragtime, Lorrell in Dreamgirls, Hermia in A Midsummer's Night Dream , Aida in Aida for which she won an IRNE award for Best Actress in a Musical and TiMoune in Once on This Island for which she received a Helen Hayes Award Nomination. Montego is thrilled to have been with Memphis since its conception and has earned her third IRNE Award nomination for her role as well as a San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Award Nomination for Best Female Performance in a Musical. TV: "Law and Order," "Guiding Light," "Wonderful World of Disney." National and Regional Commercial Campaigns include Charmin, Subway, Verizon, Wishbone, Sony, Pepsi and Hershey's. www.montegoglover.com

Derrick Baskin (Gator) is beyond excited to be reprising the role of "Gator," which he originated at North Shore Music Theater and Theatreworks in Palo Alto. Truly a labor of love. Broadway Credits: Tony-nominated Alan Menken and Doug Wright's Disney's The Little Mermaid (Jetsam). The original Mitch Mahoney in ...Spelling Bee (Drama desk award, Broadway.com award). Other credits: Aida (Mereb) at North Shore Music Theater, Smokey Joe's Café (Adrian) at Pioneer Playhouse, Ragtime (Mathew Henson) at Weston Playhouse. TV credits: "59th Annual Tony Awards" and "The Today Show." Derrick has a B.A. in biology from Hampton University. A New York resident, Derrick calls Yokota Air Base his home.

J. Bernard Calloway (Delray Jones) is making his Broadway debut as Delray Jones in Memphis. J. Bernard has been with the piece since its conception and is elated to see Memphis make its way to Broadway. He was most recently seen as Henry in The Public Theatre's award winning off-Broadway hit The Good Negro. He is currently sharing the screen with "A" list stars Denzel Washington and John Travolta in the summer blockbuster The Taking of Pelham 123

James Monroe Iglehart (Bobby) has been with this production since 2004 and is so ecstatic that it has finally made it to Broadway. James just finished playing the Lion in the wonderful production of the Wiz at New York City Center Summer Encores. His other credits are (Broadway) 25th Annual Putnam Spelling Bee, (Regional) It Ain't Nothing but the Blues (Theatreworks), Memphis (La Jolla Playhouse and 5th Ave Theatre) Smokey Joe's Cafe (American Musical Theatre San Jose), Sweeny Todd (Foothill Musical Theatre). James is a member of the Hip Hop Improv group Freestyle Love Supreme. James can also be seen on the educational kids television show The Electric Company as the Silent E soloist.

Michael McGrath (Mr. Simmons). On Broadway he created the role of Patsy in Monty Python's Spamalot for which he received both Tony and Drama Desk award nominations. Other Broadway credits include, Is He Dead, Wonderful Town, Little Me, Swinging on a Star (Theatre World Award winner, Drama Desk nom.) The Goodbye Girl, My Favorite Year, also Follies, The Boys from Syracuse and DuBarry Was a Lady at City Center Encores. Off- Broadway he appeared in the Groucho role in the only New York revival of the Marx Brothers musical The Cocoanuts. Also, The Butter and Egg Man, Game Show, Louisiana Purchase and Forbidden Broadway. He has numerous television credits including serving as side kick to Martin Short on "The Martin Short Show." Recent films include Changing Lanes, The Interpreter, Ira and Abby and Whatever Works.

Cass Morgan (Gladys Calhoun). Broadway: Mary Poppins (original Birdwoman), Ring of Fire, Beauty and the Beast (Mrs. Potts), Capeman, The Human Comedy, Hair and Pump Boys and Dinettes (co-author). Off-Broadway: Includes The Immigrant (cast album), Violet (cast album), Floyd Collins (cast album) Inside Out (cast album), Merrily We Roll Along (revival, cast album), La Bohème (Musetta), at Joe Papp's Public Theater. Regional Highlights: Memphis (5th Ave in Seattle, La Jolla Playhouse), original cast of The Immigrant (the musical), Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (Miss Mona) and 1776 (Abigail) North Carolina State theater. National tour of Cabaret (Frauline Schneider), American premier of Children of Eden at Mill Mountain Playhouse. 11 years with The New Harmony Project, a 2 week writers conference in Indiana, held each spring, to develop new works that celebrate the human spirit.