Photo: ROCK AND ROLL MAN: THE ALAN FREED STORY Holds First Read Through

The Berkshire Theatre Group cast of Rock and Roll Man: The Alan Freed Story had their first read through earlier this week in New York City! Rock and Roll Man is being presented by Berkshire Theatre Group, in association with five-time Tony Award-Winning Caiola Productions (Once on this Island, Dear Evan Hansen, The Color Purple, All The Way, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf). Rock and Roll Man has a book by Gary Kupper, Larry Marshak and Rose Caiola, with original music and lyrics by Gary Kupper. This production is directed by Tony Award-nominee Randal Myler (It Ain't Nothin' But The Blues) with music direction by Dave Keyes and choreography by Brian Reeder, and begins June 27 at The Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield, MA, and runs until July 21.

This dynamic cast features Tony Award-nominated Alan Campbell (Sunset Boulevard, Rock and Roll Man) as Alan Freed and multiple-Emmy Award-nominated George Wendt (Norm from Cheers, Rock and Roll Man) as J. Edgar Hoover, along with Bob Ari (Act One, Frost/Nixon, Rock and Roll Man), William Louis Bailey (Freckleface Strawberry, Rock and Roll Man), Whitney Bashor (The Bridges of Madison County, Rock and Roll Man), Early Clover (Lead singer of Cornell Gunter Coasters, Rock and Roll Man), Richard Crandle (Cruel Intentions, Rock and Roll Man), Anthony (AJ) Davis (Dreamgirls, Rock and Roll Man), John Dewey (Rock and Roll Man), Janet Dickinson (Anastasia the Mu! sical, Bullets Over Broadway), Jerome Jackson (Singer for The Drifters, Rock and Roll Man), Tony and Grammy Award-nominated Valisia LeKae (Motown the Musical, 110 in the Shade, The Book of Mormon), Brian Mathis (Jesus Christ Superstar, Rock And Roll Man), Matthew Morgan (The Lion King, Hairspray, Rock And Roll Man), Virginia Preston (Dirty Dancing), James Scheider (Million Dollar Quartet, Rock and Roll Man), Dr. Eric Turner (Rent, Ain't Misbehavin, Rock And Roll Man) and Jared Zirilli (SUMMER: The Donna Summer Musical, Lysistrata Jones).

In the summer of 1954, in a small radio station in Cleveland, an unknown disc jockey heard the sound that would change Americ! a. And the rest is music history. Rock and Roll Man is the new musical about the incredible rise and fall of Alan Freed, the man who coined the phrase rock and roll and brought its sound to the world. He discovered black artists-and got them record deals. He traveled the country-and got them heard from coast to coast. He spoke to the younger generation-and brought them to their feet. By the dawn of the '60s, he was the biggest name in music-until scandal made him the biggest target in America.

This high energy musical highlights the greatest rock and roll legends of all time such as Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Lavern Baker, Bill Haley, Jerry Lee Lewis and Screamin' Jay, just to name a few. Also, featuring original songs and some of the biggest hits of a generation, including "Why Do Fools Fall in Love," "Tutti Frutti," "Great Balls of Fire," "Roll Over Beethoven," "Ain't That a Shame" and many more, Rock and Roll Man takes you behind the scenes and behind the music of one of the most influential-and controversial-figures in pop music history.

Tickets may be purchased by calling Berkshire Theatre Group's Box Office at (413) 997-4444, or by visiting the website at www.berkshiretheatregroup.org.

To purchase season passes, visit www.BerkshireTheatreGroup.org, contact the Colonial Ticket Office at 413-997-4444, or in-person at the Colonial Ticket Office at 111 South Street, Pittsfield. Ticket offices are open Monday-Saturday 10am-5pm, Sundays 10am-2pm or on any performance day from 10am until curtain.

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