Broadway-Aimed Memphis Will Arrive in Seattle Jan. 27
By Adam Hetrick
and Kenneth Jones
05 Jan 2009
The racially-fueled rock 'n' roll musical Memphis, with a score by Joe DiPietro and Bon Jovi's David Bryan, will arrive at Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre Jan. 27.
Under the direction of Christopher Ashley (Xanadu), and featuring choreography by Sergio Trujillo (Jersey Boys), Memphis plays Seattle following a recent run at the La Jolla Playhouse in September 2008. La Jolla and the 5th Avenue Theatre co-produce the production that is aiming to arrive on Broadway late in 2009.
Featuring book and lyrics by DiPietro (I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change) and a score and lyrics by Bryan, Memphis will officially open Feb. 5 and run through Feb. 15 at the 5th Avenue Theatre.
In the 1950s-set work, Chad Kimball (Lennon, Good Vibrations, Into the Woods, My Life With Albertine) portrays Huey, a white deejay who not only plays black music on mainstream radio, but later publicly reveals his love for the black singer who inspires him. Montego Glover (The Color Purple, Radiant Baby) co-stars as Felicia, the object of Kimball's affection.
The cast of Memphis also features Allen Fitzpatrick (42nd Street) as Mr. Simmons, James Iglehart (Spelling Bee) as Bobby and Cass Morgan (Mary Poppins) as Mrs. Calhoun.
Completing the Seattle company of Memphis are Anne Allgood, Brad Bass, Tracee Beazer, Josh Breckenridge, Kevin Covert, Dionne Figgins, Meaghan Foy, Cashae Monya, Jill Morrison, John Eric Parker, Maya RS Perkins, Jermaine Rembert, Daniel Watts, Charlie Williams, Ty Willis and R. Hamilton Wright.
The creative team includes set designer/co-projection designer David Gallo, costume designer Paul Tazewell, lighting designer Howell Binkley, wig and hair designer Chuck LaPointe, sound designer Ken Travis, co-projection designer Shawn Sagady and dramaturg Gabriel Greene.
The music department includes musical supervisor Christopher Jahnke (Legally Blonde, Les Misérables, Grease, Cry-Baby), musical director Kenny Seymour (The Wiz) and orchestrations by Darryl Waters (Bring in 'Da Noise, Bring in 'Da Funk).
Tickets for the Seattle run of Memphis, priced $22-$81, are available by calling (206) 625-1900 or by visiting www.5thavenue.org.
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