A pre-Broadway workshop of The Heart of Rock & Roll, the new musical inspired by the music of Huey Lewis and the News, will be held in Manhattan with an invitation-only presentation set for August 4.
Gordon Greenberg, who directed the 2018 production at San Diego's Old Globe, is also directing the upcoming workshop.
The workshop cast includes Jonah Platt, Katie Rose Clarke, John Dossett, Tamika Lawrence, Manu Narayan, Billy Harrigan Tighe, Hailee Kaleem Wright, F. Michael Haynie, Nehal Joshi, Zachary Noah Piser, Josh Breckenridge, Oyoyo Joi, MiMi Scardulla, Dee Tomasetta, Lindsay Joan, Robert Pendilla, Drew Redington, Gabe Gibbs, Kaitlin Mesh, Harris Matthew Turner, and Jess LeProtto.
The Heart of Rock & Roll has a book by Jonathan Abrams and a score of Huey Lewis hits, including “The Heart of Rock and Roll,” “Hip to be Square,” “Power of Love,” “Do You Believe in Love?,” “If This Is It,” “Doing It All for My Baby,” “Stuck with You,” "I Want a New Drug,” “It’s Alright,” and “Heart and Soul.”
In San Diego, the musical followed Bobby, a Chicagoan whose failed band leads to him returning to
corporate America. While working, he meets his boss, Cassandra,
who has also traded in her personal life for a professional one.
Together, the two realize their dreams when Bobby gets another shot at
stardom and Cassandra is up for the CEO job. Tony winner Matt Doyle and Clarke starred in the 2018 staging.
The creative team for the workshop also includes choreographer Lorin Latarro, music supervisor/arranger Brian Usifer, and music director Will Van Dyke.
The musical, which is aiming for a 2024 Broadway bow, is produced by Hunter Arnold and Tyler Mitchell. General managers are David Richards and Danielle Karliner Naish at RCI.
Look back at photos from the 2018 production below:
F. Michael Haynie, Lucas Papaelias, Matt Doyle, and Zachary Noah Piser in The Heart of Rock & Roll
