|
Memphis, the home of the blues and birthplace of rock & roll, has long since been a tourist attraction for music lovers yearning to relive a special time in American pop culture. TheatreWorks and North Shore Music Theatre hope to create such a trip down memory lane with the world premiere of Memphis, playing at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts Jan. 21Feb. 15.
Playwright Joe DiPietro and composer and keyboardist David Bryan have teamed up to chronicle the birth of rock & roll and the DJ who dared to introduce white America to black music. "Huey Calhoun," the character whose story is based on the real-life story of white DJ Dewey Philips, loves what was called "race music" and introduces his listeners to gospel, blues and R&B, risking his life and career in the process.
Written by theatre darling DiPietro--known for the recent hit I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change--Memphis features music written by rock band Bon Jovi's Grammy-award-nominated keyboardist Bryan.
The first piece of the company's New Works Initiative, which includes traditional and nontraditional musicals, plays with music, and plays with soundscapes, Memphis was created from inception to production for the TheatreWorks stage in partnership with North Shore Music Theatre.
Tickets for Memphis are $20$48. Call 650.903.6000 or go to theatreworks.org for additional information.
|
