MOTOWN THE MUSICAL to Sponsor CBS NEWS' 50 YEARS: THE BEATLES, 2/9

Fifty years after Motown revolutionized the music industry with its "Sound of Young America" and countless 1964 Billboard hits by Mary Wells, The Supremes and others, the smash Broadway hit Motown the Musical is proud to sponsor CBS News Live Experiences launch of 50 YEARS: THE BEATLES, a live, interactive multimedia event marking the 50th anniversary of the band's first American television appearance on CBS's "The Ed Sullivan Show."

Hosted by CBS News Senior Business Correspondent and Anchor of CBS This Morning: Saturday Anthony Mason, 50 YEARS: THE BEATLES will take place Sunday, February 9 from 6:00-8:00PM at the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York City, 50 years to the day of the historic telecast and in the legendary theater where it happened. The program will also be live streamed on CBSNews.com and CBSNewYork.com/50yearslater.

Presented by Motown the Musical, 50 YEARS: THE BEATLES is the first in an anticipated series of CBS News Live Experiences, a conversational tour and video series that will examine the culture, society and politics of today in the context of catalytic events that took place 50 years ago. The events will combine the strong assets of the CBS Corporation, including CBS News, CBS Entertainment, CBS Television Stations, CBS Radio, CBS Sports and CBS Interactive, to create unforgettable, exciting, moving experiences for attendees. The centerpiece of each event will be CBS News' vast archival coverage of key moments, in addition to a symposium of experts moderated by CBS News anchors and correspondents.

The live symposium, moderated by Mason, will feature musicians and artists whose work has been influenced by the Beatles. The panelists will include Pattie Boyd, a photographer and model who was married to George Harrison and the inspiration for his song, "Something"; Andrew Loog Oldham, who managed the Rolling Stones from 1963 to 1967, and before that was the publicity assistant to the Beatles' manager; guitarist, songwriter and record producer Mick Jones, who founded the rock band Foreigner and played the same Paris concert hall as the Beatles 50 years ago; and Julie Taymor, an award-winning film, opera and theater director whose Oscar-nominated "Across the Universe" is a '60s-era love story powered by more than 30 Beatles songs.

50 YEARS: THE BEATLES will also feature an art gallery and exhibit of Beatles memorabilia displayed inside the Ed Sullivan Theater. Additionally, guests inside the theater will watch a presentation of THE NIGHT THAT CHANGED AMERICA: A GRAMMY(R) SALUTE TO THE BEATLES, which will be broadcast on the CBS Television Network (8:00 PM, live ET/delayed PT) on Sunday, Feb. 9. The two-hour special will feature today's top artists covering the songs performed by the Fab Four on that momentous evening and Beatles' songs through the years, as well as footage from that landmark Sunday evening and other archival material.

CBS Live Experiences, the newest division of CBS Corporation, brings CBS's popular programming and iconic content and brands to life through local, immersive experiences for audiences across the country. The events will draw on the strong assets of the CBS Corporation, including CBS News, CBS Entertainment, CBS Television Stations, CBS Radio, CBS Sports and CBS Interactive to create unforgettable, exciting, moving experiences for attendees, leading to a stronger connection between CBS audiences and its vast content.

CBS News is the news and information division of CBS Corporation, dedicated to providing the best in journalism under standards it pioneered at the dawn of radio and television and continues to set in today's digital age. Headquartered in the CBS Broadcast Center in New York, CBS News includes bureaus across the globe and compelling, influential programs providing original reporting, interviews, investigations, analysis and breaking news 24 hours a day, seven days a week. CBS News utilizes a multi-platform model for news distribution across television (CBS Television Network), radio (CBS Radio News), the Internet (CBSNews.com) and hand-held devices (CBS Mobile). CBS News is home to the critically acclaimed, award-winning programs 60 MINUTES, CBS EVENING NEWS WITH Scott Pelley, CBS THIS MORNING, 48 HOURS, Face The Nation and CBS SUNDAY MORNING.

MOTOWN THE MUSICAL, featuring music and lyrics from the legendary Motown catalogue and a book by Berry Gordy, began performances March 11, 2013 at The Lunt-Fontanne Theatre (205 West 46th Street), and opened April 14, 2013.

It began as one man's story... became everyone's music...and is now Broadway's musical. Motown the Musical is the true American dream story of Motown founder Berry Gordy's journey from featherweight boxer to the heavyweight music mogul who launched the careers of Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Smokey Robinson and so many more.

Directed by Charles Randolph-Wright and featuring classic songs such as "My Girl" and "Ain't No Mountain High Enough," MOTOWN THE MUSICAL tells the story behind the hits as Diana, Smokey, Berry and the whole Motown family fight against the odds to create the soundtrack that changed America. Motown shattered barriers, shaped our lives and made us all move to the same beat. Now, experience it live on Broadway in the record-breaking smash hit Motown the Musical!

MOTOWN THE MUSICAL's creative team features choreography by Patricia Wilcox (Blues in the Night) and Warren Adams (Toy Story), scenic design by David Korins (Bring It On: The Musical, Annie), costume design by Tony Award nominee ESosa (The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess, "Project Runway"), lighting design by Tony Award winner Natasha Katz (Once, Sister Act), sound design by Tony Award nominee Peter Hylenski (Rock of Ages, The Scottsboro Boys), projection design by Daniel Brodie (Jekyll and Hyde).

MOTOWN THE MUSICAL features arrangements and orchestrations by Tony and Grammy Award nominee Ethan Popp (Rock of Ages), who also serves as musical supervisor for the 18 piece orchestra that reproduces the classic "Sound of Young America" for the Broadway stage, with co-orchestrations and additional arrangements by Tony Award nominee Bryan Crook ("Smash"), dance arrangements by Zane Mark (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels) and music direction by Joseph Joubert (Nice Work If You Can Get It).

MOTOWN THE MUSICAL is produced by Tony Award winning producer Kevin McCollum (Rent, In the Heights, Avenue Q), Chairman and CEO of SONY Music Entertainment Doug Morris and Motown founder Berry Gordy.

MOTOWN THE MUSICAL plays Tuesday - Saturday at 7:30pm; Wednesday and Saturday at 2pm; Sunday at 3pm; Dark Monday.

Tickets prices range from $72.00 - $167.00 and are available by calling Ticketmaster at 877-250-2929 or visiting www.ticketmaster.com.

Limited $49 orchestra seats are available on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings in January and February only.

Photo Credit: Joan Marcus