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."
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. 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).
"This exhilarating new musical shaking the Shubert Theatre is the very essence of what a broadway musical should be. Memphis is sensuous, soulful, tuneful and theatrical, expertly cast and superbly sung."
-Michael Kuchwara, Associated Press
"
David Bryan evokes the powerhouse funk of
James Brown,
the hot guitar riffs of
Chuck Berry, the smooth harmonies of
The Temptations, the silken, bouncy pop of the great girl groups of the period"
-Charles Isherwood, The New York Times
"MEMPHIS ROCKS!"
-
Roma Torre, NY1
"Totally off the charts!"
-
David Richardson, WOR Radio
"Extraordinary! This inventive production has nonstop talent, remarkable songs and vocal pyrotechnics. It's original and authentic."
-Linda Winer, Newsday
MEMPHIS began previews on Wednesday, September 23rd 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 production opened to critical acclaim on Monday, October 19, 2009.
MEMPHIS takes place in the smoky halls and underground clubs of the segregated 50's, 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.
MEMPHIS stars
Chad Kimball (Huey) and
Montego Glover (Felicia) with
Derrick Baskin (Gator),
J. Bernard Calloway (Delray),
James Monroe Iglehart (Bobby), Tony nominee
Michael McGrath (Mr. Simmons), and
Cass Morgan (Mama).
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.
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 Marci 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.
For more information visit
www.memphisthemusical.com
