Broadway-Aimed Memphis Opens at Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre Feb. 5 | Playbill

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News Broadway-Aimed Memphis Opens at Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre Feb. 5 Chad Kimball and Montego Glover star in the racially charged rock musical Memphis, which officially opens at the 5th Avenue Theatre Feb. 5.
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Chad Kimball and Montego Glover in a regional production of Memphis Photo by Kevin Berne

Featuring book and lyrics by Joe DiPietro (I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change) and a score and lyrics by Bon Jovi's David Bryan, Memphis began performances in Seattle Jan. 27 and will continue through Feb. 15.

Christopher Ashley (Xanadu) directs the Broadway-aimed musical that played a previous engagement at the La Jolla Playhouse in September 2008.

In the 1950s-set work, 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. 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, Cass Morgan (Mary Poppins) as Mrs. Calhoun and Derrick Baskin as Gator.

The role of Delray will be played by J. Bernard Calloway through Feb. 8. Melvin Abston assumes the role Feb. 10-15. Completing the Seattle company are Anne Allgood, Brad Bass, Tracee Beazer, Josh Breckenridge, Kevin Covert, Dionne Figgins, Meaghan Foy, Lauren Lim Jackson, 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 orchestrator 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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