Good News! THE HEART OF ROCK AND ROLL, the new musical comedy inspired by the chart-topping anthems of HUEY LEWIS AND THE NEWS, is coming to Broadway.
Set in 1987 and jam-packed with HUEY LEWIS megahits like “Do You Believe in Love,” “Hip to Be Square,” and “If This Is It,” THE HEART OF ROCK AND ROLL centers on a couple of twenty-somethings on the cusp of their futures—Bobby, a rock and roller who’s traded his guitar for the corporate ladder and his boss Cassandra who’s always put the family business first. When they both get a second shot at their dreams, it’ll take “The Power of Love” and a little help from their friends to figure out what kind of life they really want.
THE HEART OF ROCK AND ROLL is a smart, funny, heartfelt throwback to the era of big feelings, classic rom-coms, and music that really “Stuck With You.”
Gordon Greenberg directs and Lorin Latarro choreographs, achieving some kind of immortality with all that bubble wrap. Around the edges of this production are a few inspired performances. Raymond J. Lee’s wacky rocker, Tamika Lawrence’s un-PC HR director and Billy Harrigan Tighe’s bleach-blond ukulele-playing male bimbo invariably deliver laughs despite the paper-thin material.
Then again, I didn't attend The Heart of Rock and Roll for its politics and I'd wager most people aren't, either. Nor does the show want you to. Your willingness to overlook this and the show's many plot contrivances will likely be proportional to your interest in either or both of the crowd-pleasers named at the start of this review. But I must say, your level of fun likely won’t. I am neither an ‘80s kid nor a person with any outsized interest in Cott’s rugged good looks, but I had a good, old-fashioned great time for 2.5 hours. Director Gordon Greenberg’s production is eager to sweep you up in its bright lights, even brighter costumes, and heart-thumping sound. Why not let it? The Heart of Rock and Roll is still going to be beating around you regardless.
General Rush
Price: $45
Where: James Earl Jones Theatre box office
When: When the box office opens on the day of the performance.
Limit: Two per customer.
Information: Subject to daily availability.
Digital Lottery:
Price: $49
Where: https://rush.telecharge.com/.
When: Entries begin at 12:00 am one day before the performance, and winners are drawn that same day at 10:00 am and 3:00 pm.
Limit: Two per customer
Information: Subject to availability.
2018 | San Diego, CA (Regional) |
The Old Globe's World Premiere Production San Diego, CA (Regional) |
2024 | Broadway |
Original Broadway Production Broadway |
Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee |
---|---|---|---|
2024 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Choreography | Lorin Latarro |
2024 | Drama League Awards | Outstanding Production of a Musical | The Heart of Rock and Roll |
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