MEMPHIS To Play At The Shubert Theatre, Will Open On Broadway 10/19

MEMPHIS, an original Broadway musical, will open Monday, October 19, 2009 at the Shubert Theatre (225 W. 44th Street) following critically-acclaimed and sold-out engagements at La Jolla Playhouse and Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre. Previews begin on Wednesday, September 23, 2009.

In the smoky halls and underground clubs of the segregated 50's, 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.

MEMPHIS features a brand new score with music by Bon Jovi's founding member/keyboardist David Bryan and lyrics by Bryan and Joe DiPietro, who also pens the musical's book. Bryan and DiPietro also collaborated on the current award-winning off-Broadway hit, The Toxic Avenger. MEMPHIS is based on a concept by 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 (Jersey Boys).

Tickets for MEMPHIS go on sale to the general public Monday, June 22nd. Tickets range from $41.50 to $126.50 (including a $1.50 facility fee). The performance schedule is as follows: Tuesday - Saturday evenings at 8pm, Wednesdays and Saturdays at 2pm, and Sundays at 3pm. Beginning October 26th, Tuesday evening curtains will be at 7pm. There will be special performance times during previews and holiday weeks. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.Telecharge.com or call 212.239.6200. The Shubert Theatre Box Office will be open beginning August 24th.

MEMPHIS played a limited, sold-out engagement at La Jolla Playhouse from August 19 - September 28, 2008 and received San Diego's Craig Noel Awards for Excellence in Theatre for both Outstanding New Musical of 2008 and for its star Chad Kimball, in the role of DJ Huey Calhoun. The show then went on to another critically-acclaimed, extremely successful engagement at Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre from January 27 - February 15, 2009. This production was co-produced by La Jolla Playhouse (Christopher Ashley, Artistic Director) and 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle, WA, (David Armstrong, Producing Artistic Director/ Marilynn Sheldon, Managing Director).

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).

MEMPHIS will be produced on Broadway by Junkyard Dog Productions, Barbara and Buddy Freitag and Kenny and Marleen Alhadeff with Latitude Link, Demos Bizar Entertainment, Dancap USA Productions, Jim and Susan Blair, Lauren Doll and Tony Ponturo in association with Patty Baker.

Additional creative team members and cast will be announced in the coming weeks.

For more information visit www.memphisthemusical.com.

David Bryan (Music & Lyrics). As the keyboard player, songwriter and founding member of Bon Jovi, David Bryan has seen and learned a lot about music and the music business in the past 20 years. The journey includes selling 100 million albums, traveling the world and playing to millions of people in 50 countries, circling the globe 15 times and living through the rock and roll years, the grunge years, the rap years and everything in between. As the band celebrates its 20th year together with the release of the box set, "100,000,000 Bon Jovi Fans Can't Be Wrong," David is enjoying the schedule being a member of such a successful band allows. In his time off from recording and touring with Jon, Richie and Tico, David began a career as a composer and lyricist of musicals. Aside from Memphis, David also collaborated with Joe DiPietro on a musical version of The Toxic Avenger, which is currently enjoying a successful run at New World Stages. David has also written and released a solo record, Lunar Eclipse (Rounder/Universal) an instrumental collection with a single vocal bonus track highlighting all of the aspects of his training and influences - blues, classical, jazz and of course, rock & roll. In addition to writing songs for Bon Jovi, David continues to write with and for other artists. The most successful cover of a Bryan song may be Curtis Steiger's rendition of "This Time", which was a major International hit for him. David has also dedicated his time to become a National Spokesperson for VH1's Save The Music Program, traveling across the country to many of the 43 cities which participated in the program in 2001. He is also and Honorary Board Member of "Only Make Believe", a program dedicated to the principle that freeing a child's creative spirit is a valuable part of the healing process.

Joe DiPietro (Book & Lyrics) Broadway: All Shook Up. Off-Broadway: The Thing About Men (also with composer Jimmy Roberts), Over the River and Through the Woods. Regional: Memphis (North Shore Music Theatre, TheatreWorks), O. Henry's Lovers (Goodspeed Musicals), The Kiss at City Hall (Pasadena Playhouse), The Art of Murder (Edgar Award, Best Mystery Play, 2000). He has also written new books to Rodgers & Hammerstein's Allegro (Signature Theatre) and Rodgers & Hart's Babes in Arms (Goodspeed Musicals). Currently: The Toxic Avenger (New World Stages; 2009 Outer Critics' Circle Award for Best New Off-Broadway Musical)

Christopher Ashley (Director) Recent: Xanadu, All Shook Up, The Rocky Horror Show (Tony nom.), Sweeney Todd and Merrily We Roll Along for the Kennedy Center Sondheim Celebration (Helen Hayes Award). Other NY: Valhalla, The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told and Blown Sideways Through Life (NYTW); Regrets Only, Between Us, Wonder of the World, Newyorkers (MTC); Fires in the Mirror (Public); Jeffrey, Das Barbecü (Minetta Lane); Country Club, As Thousands Cheer, Rude Entertainment, Mondo Drama (Drama Dept.); The Smell of the Kill (Helen Hayes); Voices in the Dark (Broadhurst); Communicating Doors (Variety Arts); Bunny Bunny (Lucille Lortel); Li'l Abner (Encores!); The Naked Truth, Watbanaland, The Night Hank Williams Died (WPA). Film: Jeffrey (Orion Pictures), Blown Sideways Through Life (American Playhouse). He was recently appointed Artistic Director of La Jolla Playhouse.

Sergio Trujillo (Choreographer) choreographed the 2006 Tony Award Best Musical Jersey Boys (Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle Award nominations), Guys and Dolls and All Shook Up on Broadway. Recent credits include: Saved (Playwright's Horizons), Next to Normal (Second Stage), Romeo and Juliet, The Wiz and Zhivago(LJ Playhouse), Mambo Kings, Disney's European Tarzan, Kismet and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (Encores!), Peggy Sue Got Married (West End), Kiss Me Kate (Japan) The Sound of Music, West Side Story (Stratford Festival), Chita Rivera's: Chita and All That Jazz, Salome (NYC Opera), The Marriage of Figaro (LA Opera), Ballet Hispanico. TV: Broadway: The American Musical (PBS), The 14th American Comedy wards(ABC), Triple Sensation(CBC). Recipient of a 2003 Ovation Award for outstanding choreography in Empire: A New American Musical and three Dora Mavor Moore nominations in Canada. Upcoming on Broadway: The Addams Family.

David Gallo (Scenic Designer) Broadway: Xanadu, A Catered Affair, Radio Golf (Tony nom.), Company, The Drowsy Chaperone (2006 Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards), Gem of the Ocean (Tony nom.), Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Dance of the Vampires, Thoroughly Modern Millie (also London), King Hedley II, Epic Proportions, A View >From the Bridge, Jackie (also London) and Hughie. Off-Broadway: Evil Dead, The Wild Party, Jitney (also London), Wonder of the World, A New Brain, Bunny Bunny and Blue Man Group. Drama Desk, American Theatre Wing, Lucille Lortel, Hewes Design, Outer Critics Circle, Ovation, NAACP, AUDELCO, Obie, Barrymore and Eddy Awards and nominations. Represented American set design at the Cooper-Hewitt Design Triennial and is in the collection of the Smithsonian Institute National Archive.

Paul Tazewell (Costume Designer) Broadway: Guys & Dolls, In The Heights (Tony nom), The Color Purple (Tony nom.); Hot Feet; Caroline, or Change; A Raisin in the Sun; Drowning Crow; Bring in 'da Noise...(Tony nom.); Elaine Stritch: At Liberty; On the Town; Fascinating Rhythm; Def Poetry Jam. Off-Broadway: Ruined, In the Heights, McReele, Flesh and Blood, Fame, Boston Marriage, Harlem Song, Dinah Was. Three Helen Hayes Awards plus Lucille Lortel, Ovation, Jefferson, Princess Grace and Irene Sharaff awards.

Howell Binkley (Lighting Designer) Broadway works include: West Side Story, Guys and Dolls, In the Heights (2008 Tony nomination), Gypsy, Xanadu, Jersey Boys (2006 Tony Award, Henry Hewes Design Award and Outer Critics Circle Award), Avenue Q, The Farnsworth Invention, Minnelli on Minnelli, The Full Monty, Parade, Kiss Of The Spider Woman, High Society and How To Succeed... Extensive regional and dance designs include: Parsons Dance (co-founder), The Joffrey Ballet (Billboards) and six musicals in repertory for The Kennedy Center's Sondheim Celebration. Five time Helen Hayes Award recipient. 1993 Sir Laurence Olivier Award and Canadian Dora Award for Kiss of The Spider Woman.

Ken Travis (Sound Designer). Broadway: The Threepenny Opera, Barefoot in the Park and Steel Magnolias. For The New Group and Scott Elliott: Abigail's Party, Hurlyburly, Aunt Dan & Lemon, Comedians, What the Butler Saw. Mabou Mines' Red Beads, Nerds:// A Musical Software Satire, The Family Guy Live at Town Hall, Kiki & Herb Will Die for You at Carnegie Hall, Beckett/Albee, Passion Play, Kiki & Herb: Coup de Théatre. At the NYSF Public Theater: Julius Caesar, The Winter's Tale and Anna Deavere Smith's House Arrest. Also, Gone Missing and Paris Commune with the Civilians; Fabulation and Breath, Boom! at Playwrights Horizons; Look Back in Anger at CSC.