From the rockin' dance halls of Memphis, Tennessee comes this hot and bothered new Broadway musical with heart, soul and energy to burn. Set in the turbulent south in the 1950s, it is the story of Huey Calhoun, a white radio DJ whose love of good music transcends race lines and airwaves. Get ready to experience all the exuberance and the emotion... the beauty and the controversy... of a wondrous, defining time in our history. You're tuning in to Memphis, so turn up that dial!
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).
Part of the problem is that the leads seem incompatible for reasons having nothing to do with skin color. It's tough to see how Montego Glover's elegant Felicia could be attracted to Chad Kimball's buffoonish Huey, who suggests a cross between an aging stand-up comic and a parody of George W. Bush in his frat-boy heyday. Glover gives Felicia an endearing sweetness and sings powerfully. But like her castmates, she's saddled with music and lyrics (the latter co-written by Bryan and DiPietro) that at best play like retreads of old R&B hits. Bryan, a founding member of Bon Jovi, also invests some songs with power-ballad melodrama.
The book by Joe DiPietro is missing a strong climax and the end feels tacked on. That aside, 'Memphis' is so loaded with talent, it almost seems pointless to criticize. The music by Bon Jovi keyboardist David Bryan with an assist from DiPietro on lyrics is full of the kind of soul Huey sings about. Whether it's R&B, gospel or rock and roll, the songs recall the hits of the era. And Sergio Trujillo adds a powerful visual stimulus with some dazzling choreography.
2004 | Regional (US) |
Regional Production Regional (US) |
2009 | Broadway |
Original Broadway Production Broadway |
2011 | US Tour |
National Tour US Tour |
2014 | West End |
West End Premiere Production West End |
Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee |
---|---|---|---|
2010 | BroadwayWorld Awards | Best Book of a Musical | Joe DiPietro |
2010 | BroadwayWorld Awards | Best Original Score | David Bryan |
2010 | BroadwayWorld Awards | Best Original Score | Joe DiPietro |
2010 | BroadwayWorld Awards | Best Original Score | David Bryan |
2010 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Choreography | Sergio Trujillo |
2010 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Musical | Memphis |
2010 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Actor in a Musical | Chad Kimball |
2010 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Actress in a Musical | Montego Glover |
2010 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Choreography | Sergio Trujillo |
2010 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Director of a Musical | Christopher Ashley |
2010 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical | Cass Morgan |
2010 | Tony Awards | Best Book of a Musical | Joe DiPietro |
2010 | Tony Awards | Best Costume Design of a Musical | Paul Tazewell |
2010 | Tony Awards | Best Direction of a Musical | Christopher Ashley |
2010 | Tony Awards | Best Musical | ShadowCatcher Entertainment/Vijay and Sita Vashee |
2010 | Tony Awards | Best Musical | Remmel T. Dickinson/Memphis Orpheum Group |
2010 | Tony Awards | Best Musical | Loraine Boyle/Chase Mishkin |
2010 | Tony Awards | Best Musical | Bob Bartner/Scott and Kaylin Union |
2010 | Tony Awards | Best Musical | Dan Frishwasser |
2010 | Tony Awards | Best Musical | Patty Baker |
2010 | Tony Awards | Best Musical | Jocko Productions |
2010 | Tony Awards | Best Musical | Broadway Across America |
2010 | Tony Awards | Best Musical | Linda and Bill Potter |
2010 | Tony Awards | Best Musical | Lauren Doll |
2010 | Tony Awards | Best Musical | Junkyard Dog Productions |
2010 | Tony Awards | Best Musical | Marleen and Kenny Alhadeff |
2010 | Tony Awards | Best Musical | Latitude Link |
2010 | Tony Awards | Best Musical | Jim and Susan Blair |
2010 | Tony Awards | Best Musical | Demos Bizar Entertainment |
2010 | Tony Awards | Best Musical | Land Line Productions |
2010 | Tony Awards | Best Musical | Eric and Marsi Gardiner |
2010 | Tony Awards | Best Musical | Barbara and Buddy Freitag |
2010 | Tony Awards | Best Musical | Apples and Oranges Productions |
2010 | Tony Awards | Best Musical | Dave Copley |
2010 | Tony Awards | Best Musical | Dancap Productions, Inc. |
2010 | Tony Awards | Best Musical | Alex and Katya Lukianov |
2010 | Tony Awards | Best Musical | Tony Ponturo |
2010 | Tony Awards | Best Musical | 2 Guys Productions |
2010 | Tony Awards | Best Musical | Richard Winkler |
2010 | Tony Awards | Best Orchestrations | Daryl Waters |
2010 | Tony Awards | Best Orchestrations | David Bryan |
2010 | Tony Awards | Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre | David Bryan |
2010 | Tony Awards | Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre | Joe DiPietro |
2010 | Tony Awards | Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre | David Bryan |
2010 | Tony Awards | Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical | Chad Kimball |
2010 | Tony Awards | Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical | Montego Glover |
2009 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Actor in a Musical | Chad Kimball |
2009 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Actress in a Musical (tie) | Montego Glover |
2009 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Book of a Musical | Joe DiPietro |
2009 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Music | David Bryan |
2009 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Orchestrations | David Bryan |
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