Four-Time Tony® Award Winner MEMPHIS Is Coming To Philadelphia, Jan. 17 – 22 at Academy of Music!
DECEMBER 7, 2011
Tickets On Sale Now!
MEMPHIS, the 2010 Tony® Award Winner for Best Musical, and the show that’s currently blowing the roof off Broadway, opened to rave reviews and is coming to the Academy of Music on Jan. 17 - 23 for a limited engagement as part of the Broadway Season, presented by The Kimmel Center and The Shubert Organization. The press opening is Tuesday, Jan. 17 at 7:30 pm.
Tickets ranging in price from $20 to $100 are now on sale. Tickets can be purchased by calling 215-731-3333, online at kimmelcenter.org/broadway, at the Kimmel Center box office, Broad & Spruce Sts. (open daily 10 am to 6 pm) or at the Academy of Music box office, Broad & Locust Sts. (open during performances only). Groups of 10 or more will receive discounts for select performances by calling 215-790-5883 or 866-276-2947. Performances include: Tuesday – Thursday evenings at 7:30 pm; Friday & Saturday evenings at 8:00 pm; Sunday evening at 6:30 pm; and matinees Saturday at 2:00 pm and Sunday at 1:00 pm
See what the critics are saying:
“MEMPHIS …resonates with such truth, wisdom, and power …a profound spiritual awakening! MEMPHIS is this musical!”
- Houston Chronicle
“MEMPHIS is a masterpiece!”
-Broadway World
“MEMPHIS is rocking, foot-tapping entertainment!”
-The Commercial Appeal
“The touring company does the show proud – stirring voices, lively dances a powerhouse cast, savvy direction, vibrant choreography and smart design work.”
-Houston Chronicle
Critically acclaimed MEMPHIS won four 2010 Tony® Awards including Best Musical, Best Original Score (David Bryan and Joe DiPietro), Best Book (Joe DiPietro), and Best Orchestrations (David Bryan and Daryl Waters). MEMPHIS won four Drama Desk Awards including Outstanding Musical, Outstanding Performance by an Actress (Montego Glover), Outstanding Music (David Bryan) and Outstanding Orchestration (David Bryan and Daryl Waters). MEMPHIS has also won four Outer Critic Circle Awards including Outstanding Musical, Outstanding Score (David Bryan & Joe DiPietro), Outstanding Actress (Montego Glover) and Outstanding Choreography (Sergio Trujillo).
MEMPHIS takes place in the smoky halls and underground clubs of the segregated 50’s, where a young white DJ named Huey Calhoun fell in love with everything he shouldn’t: rock and roll and an electrifying black singer. MEMPHIS is an original story about the cultural revolution that erupted when his vision met her voice, and the music changed forever. Come along on their incredible journey to the ends of the airwaves -- filled with laughter, soaring emotion and roof-raising rock 'n' roll.
Starring Bryan Fenkart (Huey) and Felicia Boswell (Felicia) with Quentin Earl Darrington (Delray), Rhett George (Gator), Julie Johnson (Mama), Will Mann (Bobby), and William Parry (Mr. Simmons).
The company includes Chelsey Arce, Evan Autio, Bree Branker, Whitney Leigh Brown, Whitney Cooper, Scott Difford, Christopher Gurr, Daisy Hobbs, Crystal Joy, Kyle Leland, Jarvis R. McKinley, Happy McPartlin, Kenna Michelle Morris, Jill Morrison, Austin Owen, Kent Overshown, Alfie Parker Jr., Justin Prescott, Jody Reynard, Peter Matthew Smith and Derek St. Pierre.
MEMPHIS features a brand new Tony winning score with music by Bon Jovi’s founding member and 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 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, who is currently represented by three shows on Broadway (Memphis, Jersey Boys and The Addams Family).
Scenic Design for MEMPHIS is by Tony® Award winner David Gallo (The Drowsy Chaperone, Reasons to Be Pretty), Costume Design is by Tony nominee Paul Tazewell (In The Heights), Lighting Design is by Tony Award winner Howell Binkley (Jersey Boys) and Sound Design is by Ken Travis (The Threepenny Opera).
David Richardson of WOR Radio calls MEMPHIS “The biggest hit on Broadway” while Charles Isherwood of the New York Times says, ““David Bryan evokes the powerhouse funk of James Brown, the hot guitar riffs of Chuck Berry, the smooth harmonies of the Temptations, the silken, bouncy pop of the great girl groups of the period.” The New York Post raves “Of such thrills, Broadway is made,” Newsday calls the show “A smash! An extraordinary show,” the Daily News promises that MEMPHIS will “Blast you out the door humming and happy” and NY1’s Roma Torre cheers, “MEMPHIS ROCKS!”
The national tour of MEMPHIS is produced by Junkyard Dog Productions, Barbara and Buddy Freitag, and Marleen and Kenny Alhadeff, with Latitude Link, Jim and Susan Blair, Demos Bizar Entertainment, Land Line Productions, Richard Winkler, Alex and Katya Lukianov, David Copley, Dancap Productions, Inc., 2 Guys Productions, Patty Baker, and Dan Frishwasser, in association with Eric and Marsi Gardiner, Linda and Bill Potter, Broadway Across America, Memphis Orpheum Group, Vijay and Sita Vashee, Apples and Oranges Productions, Brian and Betty Dovey, John Yonover and Ron Yonover, Loraine Boyle/Chase Mishkin, Remmel T. Dickinson/Shadowcatcher Entertainment, Jocko Productions/Scott and Kaylin Union. Visit online at: www.memphisthemusical.com
The Broadway Season is presented by the Kimmel Center and The Shubert Organization with productions at the Academy of Music, Forrest Theatre and Merriam Theater. Subscription packages for the new Broadway Season are still available by calling 215-893-1955 or online at kimmelcenter.org/broadway1112.
In addition to MEMPHIS, the new Broadway Season includes; HAIR (Jan. 3 – 8); FELA! (Mar. 20 – 25, 2012) and WEST SIDE STORY (Mar. 27 – Apr. 8, 2012), all at the Academy of Music. The new season will also welcome the return of the Tony, Grammy and Olivier Award Winning Best Musical JERSEY BOYS (Dec. 6, 2011- Jan. 14, 2012) at the Forrest Theatre. Additional shows will include: THE WIZARD OF OZ (Dec. 27 & 28),at the Merriam Theater; RAIN – A Tribute To The Beatles (Jan. 31 – Feb. 5) and the premiere of a spectacular new production of Disney’s BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (June 5 – 10, 2012), both at the Academy of Music.
KIMMEL CENTER, INC., a charitable, not-for-profit organization, owns, manages, supports and maintains The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, which includes Verizon Hall, Perelman Theater, Innovation Studio and the Merck Arts Education Center. Kimmel Center, Inc. also manages the Academy of Music, owned by the Philadelphia Orchestra Association, and the University of the Arts Merriam Theater. Our mission is to operate a world class performing arts center that engages and serves a broad audience which includes providing arts in education, community outreach and a rich diversity of programming. The 2011/2012 season is sponsored by Citi. For additional information, visit kimmelcenter.org.
THE SHUBERT ORGANIZATION is responsible for the ownership and/or operation of 21 theatres in New York, Boston, Philadelphia and Washington, DC and continues its involvement in the presentation of distinguished theatrical productions. They include Cats, Sunday in the Park with George, Dreamgirls, Little Shop of Horrors, The Heidi Chronicles, Jerome Robbins’ Broadway, Lettice & Lovage, Dancin’, Amadeus, The Gin Game, Passion and Indiscretions. The Shubert Organization’s activities include the revitalization of the American theatre, participation in civic and community affairs, the introduction of phone and charge ticket sales and a computerized ticketing system. This wide range of operation has proven highly effective in New York and throughout the country.
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