The Heart of Rock and Roll is a jukebox musical with a book by Jonathan Abrams and music and lyrics by Huey Lewis and his pop rock band Huey Lewis and the News, with new orchestrations of their music by Brian Usifer.
The show features an original story revolving around a couple balancing their romance amidst their rock and roll world and corporate world dreams. It is not a biographical piece about the band. The musical officially opened on Broadway at the James Earl Jones Theatre on April 22, 2024https://playbill.com/article/huey-lewis-jukebox-musical-the-heart-of-rock-and-roll-begins-performances-march-29 and closed on June 23, 2024.
Origin Going back to at least 2010, producer and writer Tyler Mitchell, whose father-in-law is a good friend of Huey Lewis, first proposed the idea of a musical featuring the band's songs to Lewis. Lewis said he had thought of the idea before, but did not know how the band's songs could be linked together into a story, "because they have nothing to do with each other."Henerson, Evan (13 September 2018). Bringing Huey Lewis’ Music to a Stage Musical, Jewish Journal Mitchell then connected with Jonathan Abrams to write a draft original story, and they continued to hone the story over time.
Production history
San Diego (2018) Huey Lewis first publicly announced the future show in a video with Jimmy Kimmel in February 2018, with Kimmel claiming he was quitting his show to star as Huey in the show, and then being crushed to learn Lewis was not a character in the show. At that time, a venue and debut date was not yet set.Blistein, Jon (8 February 2018). Huey Lewis and the News Musical in the Works, Rolling Stone It debuted at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego in September 2018, where it opened previews on September 6, opened on September 14, and ran through October 21, 2018. Matt Doyle and Katie Rose Clarke starred in that production. Doyle actually grew up down the street from Lewis in Ross, California, and already knew the band's music well when he auditioned.Tatro, Samantha (29 August 2018). Broadway Actor Who Grew Up Down the Street From Huey Lewis Comes Full Circle Starring in Musical Based off His Music, 7 San Diego The debut was only a few months after Lewis announced he had Ménière's disease and could no longer perform, and he was glad to be able to focus on the show to stay involved with music.Carannante, Greg (11 December 2018). Huey Lewis returns to familiar waters as Winterfest Boat Parade grand marshal, Sun Sentinel
Broadway (2024) In July 2023, a pre-Broadway workshop was held in New York City.https://playbill.com/article/jonah-platt-katie-rose-clarke-tamika-lawrence-manu-narayan-more-cast-in-the-heart-of-rock-roll-workshop In November 2023, it was announced that the show would open on Broadway in the Spring of 2024. The show began previews on March 29, 2024, and officially opened on April 22 at the James Earl Jones Theatre. The Broadway cast was announced in January 2024.Evans, Greg (16 January 2024). Huey Lewis Broadway Musical Finds Its Rock & Roll Hearts In Corey Cott And McKenzie Kurtz, DeadlineRusso, Gillian (1 November 2023). 'The Heart of Rock and Roll' to open on Broadway this spring, New York Theatre Guide John Dossett, F. Micheal Haynie, Orville Mendoza, and Billy Harrigan Tighe were cast for the same roles they played in the San Diego production.Th Heart of Rock and Rock, theoldglobe.org, Retrieved 12 February 2024
The show is directed by Gordon Greenberg and choreographed by Lorin Latarro, with a book by Jonathan Abrams, derived from the story written by Abrams and Mitchell. Mitchell is producing with Hunter Arnold and Kayla Greenspan.Paulsen, Michael (1 November 2023). Huey Lewis and the News Musical Is Coming to Broadway in March, The New York Times The music supervisor/arranger is Brian Usifer and the music director is Will Van Dyke.Gans, Andrew (17 July 2023). Jonah Platt, Katie Rose Clarke, Tamika Lawrence, Manu Narayan, More Cast in The Heart of Rock & Roll Workshop, Playbill
The show closed on June 23, 2024.
Reception The reviews of the Broadway production have been positive - finding the show entertaining and funny, even if the plot, like many a jukebox musical, is not deep. Elisabeth Vincentelli of The New York Times described it as "the Huey Lewis of musicals: not taking itself too seriously, doing what it does well, and just happy to be on Broadway, keeping company with starrier productions."(22 April 2024). Review: It’s All Right to Groove to Huey in ‘The Heart of Rock and Roll’, The New York Times The New York Post found it to be the "underdog highlight of the season."Oleksinksi, Johnny (22 April 2024). ‘The Heart of Rock and Roll’ review: Huey Lewis’ Broadway show is hilarious fun, The New York Post Vulture called it the "funniest new musical of the season."McHenry, Jackson (22 April 2024). Don’t Think Too Hard About The Heart of Rock and Roll, Vulture Cast and characters +CharacterSan DiegoBroadway20182024Bobby Stivic Matt Doyle Corey CottCassandra Stone Katie Rose Clarke McKenzie KurtzWyatt Christopher Ramirez Josh BreckenridgeGlenn F. Michael HayniePaige Paige Faure Zoe JensenRoz Patrice Covington Tamika LawrenceJJ Lucas Papaelias Raymond J. LeeEli Zachary Noah Piser John Michael-LylesOtto Fjord Orville MendozaTucker Billy Harrigan TigheChuck Stone John Dossett
Musical numbers
Act I "Bobby's Daydream" - Bobby, Glenn, JJ, Eli, Company "Hip to Be Square" - Bobby, Cassandra, Roz, Stone "Be Someone" - Bobby, Roz "Don't Make Me Do It" - Cassandra, Paige "Do You Believe in Love?" - Bobby, Fjord "Workin' for a Livin'" - Cassandra, Roz, Stone, Bobby "I Know What I Like" - Cassandra, Bobby "It's All Right" - Bobby, Cassandra "I Never Walk Alone" / "Finally Found A Home" - Bobby, Glenn, JJ, Eli "That's Not Me" - Tucker, Wyatt "Give Me The Keys (And I'll Drive You Crazy)" - Cassandra, Tucker, Wyatt "The Pitch" - Bobby, Cassandra, Stone "Do You Believe in Love? (reprise)" - Bobby, Cassandra, Glenn, JJ, Eli "The Heart of Rock & Roll" - Company
Act II "You Crack Me Up" - Cassandra, Paige, Tucker, Wyatt "It's All Right (reprise)" - Bobby, Roz, Cassandra, Paige "I Want a New Drug" - Bobby "Doing It All for My Baby" - Roz, Stone, Fjord, Bobby "Stuck with You" - Cassandra, Paige, Tucker, Wyatt "Don't Make Me Do It (reprise)" - Paige, Wyatt "The Power of Love" - Bobby "It Hit Me Like a Hammer" - Cassandra "Back In Time" - Roz, Bobby "Jacob's Ladder" - Bobby, Glenn, JJ, Eli "The Only One" - Bobby "Perfect World" - Glenn, JJ, Eli "Be Someone (reprise)" - Bobby "The Awards Ceremony" - Company "If This Is It" - Bobby, Paige, Wyatt, Fjord "Tattoo (Giving It All Up for Love)" - Bobby, Paige, Wyatt, Fjord "Power of Love (reprise)" - Company
Awards and nominations 2024 Broadway Production Year Award Category Nominee Result2024Drama League Awards Outstanding Production of a Musical Chita Rivera AwardsOutstanding Choreography in a Broadway ShowLorin LatarroOutstanding Ensemble in a Broadway Show
References
External links
Official Broadway show website