David Bryan News

MEMPHIS the 2010 Tony Award-winner for Best Musical, opens at the San Diego Civic Theatre on July 24 for a limited engagement and will play through July 29th.

It is easy to see why Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewes' My Fair Lady has been called "the perfect musical". The music is beautiful, the story is heartwarming, and when you have a cast like the one at Bellports' Gateway Playhouse, you're in for a special treat.

Anyone who knows me knows that I adore MEMPHIS. Back in 2011, I had the opportunity to see the show on Broadway and I met the fantastical Chad Kimball. Later that year, I went to see the Direct from Broadway showings at my local movie theater (yes, I went 3 times). You could say I'm a bit obsessed. Now here I am, a year later at the first National Tour cast's party in my hometown of Buffalo, NY.

Jennifer Hope Wills, star of Broadway's "Phantom of the Opera" and "Wonderful Town," leads "My Fair Lady" at Bellport's Gateway Playhouse. The Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe musical plays now through June 24 and is the second show in the non-profit theatre's 63rd season.

"Everyone want[ed] to be black" on Tuesday Night at the Ohio Theatre as MEMPHIS came to town and literally tore down the house. From its onset, MEMPHIS was clearly a liberating celebration in every sense of the word. Its jumping and jiving, soulful, high energy rock-n-roll, powerful singing, and endearing story take you on a nonstop whirlwind from start to finish.

Today we are talking to a two-time Tony Award winning lyricist and book writer who was responsible for the 2010 Best Musical winner, MEMPHIS, and who has since written the libretto of the Gershwin revue NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET and received a well-earned Tony nomination for his efforts; one of the show's ten nods - Joe DiPietro. In this concluding portion of our conversation, DiPietro and I break down the process of creating NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT and he comments on the starry cast - including Matthew Broderick, Kelli O'Hara, Judy Kaye and Estelle Parsons - and the process of collaboration in bringing the 2012 Tony Awards top nominee to the Broadway stage. Additionally, DiPietro fills us in on the future for THE TOXIC AVENGER and its tentative Broadway plans, as well as the upcoming West End mountings of MEMPHIS and, hopefully, NICE WORK - and, a look ahead to his next David Bryan collaboration, CHASING THE SONG, as well. Plus, a glance back at his work on I LOVE YOU, YOU'RE PERFECT NOW CHANGE, F*CKING MEN and ALLEGRO and his favorite current pop acts.

Today we are talking to a two-time Tony Award winning lyricist and book writer who was responsible for the 2010 Best Musical winner, MEMPHIS, and who has since written the libretto of the Gershwin revue NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET and received a well-earned Tony nomination for his efforts; one of the show's ten nods - Joe DiPietro. Discussing the finer points of his many musicals with a special focus on the two currently running on Broadway - MEMPHIS and NICE WORK - DiPietro eloquently elaborates on the process of creating both shows and the challenges new musicals these days face on their developmental road to Broadway. Additionally, we discuss Montego Glover, Chad Kimball, Matthew Broderick, Kelli O'Hara, Judy Kaye, Adam Pascal and the many other talented individuals onstage and off who have participated in the two hit productions treading the boards eight times a week. Besides the complete 411 on MEMPHIS in Part I and NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT in Part II, DiPietro also opens up about his new musical endeavor with Bon Jovi and MEMPHIS composer David Bryan, THE TOXIC AVENGER, and its star, Constantine Maroulis - and don't miss my exclusive interview with Constantine all about the most recent Alley Theater iteration of the show, available here. Plus, DiPietro shares fond remembrances of shows past - I LOVE YOU, YOU'RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE, F*CKING MEN and ALLEGRO - and future - CHASING THE DREAM - and expresses his infectious enthusiasm for the theatrical arts in general by revealing his early theatre memories, favorite scores and general love for the art form. All of that and much, much more! In Part I, DiPietro and I analyze MEMPHIS and take a step-by-step look at its creation and the development of the Tony Award-winning Best Musical. Additionally, DiPietro shares his theatrical influences and the shows and scores that meant the most to him growing up. Plus, he shares his thoughts on GLEE, SMASH and the new movie musical era.

MEMPHIS, the 2010 Tony® Award-winner for Best Musical, opens at the Ohio Theatre on May 29 for a limited engagement.

Last night, Broadway veteran Taye Diggs brought his mom to MEMPHIS to see friend Adam Pascal play 'Huey Calhoun'. Check out photos of Diggs with the cast below!

On May 15, the first National Tour of the Tony Award-Winning MEMPHIS arrives in Dallas to stay until May 27. The company just released a promotional video in preparation for the upcoming performances in Texas, which features Bryan Fenkart, Felicia Boswell, and an amazing ensemble of singers and dancers.

The Kennedy Center presents Memphis in the Opera House from June 12 to July 1, 2012.

Mary Kay Yezerski-Bondoc, of the MEMPHIS wig department, recently did an eight-step video about how to properly take curlers out of a wig and style it. Additionally, this video gives a glimpse at the astounding number of wigs used in the show.

MEMPHIS, the 2010 Tony® Award-winner for Best Musical, opens at the Ohio Theatre on May 29 for a limited engagement.

While it may look through its world through "rose colored glasses", MEMPHIS celebrates a time when race music was beginning to catch on with a white, mostly teenaged audience. It's a crackling, amusing, and fast-paced show (book and lyrics by Joe DiPietro, music and lyrics by David Bryan) that takes you on a musical journey through the eyes of young Huey, a wannabe DJ, who gets his wish, and may get his girl, if they can survive the glare of the fifties, when mixing of the races was against the law. Does this all sound heavy? Well it's not, not by a long shot. Instead, it's a bouncy and bluesy production that's easy to take and listen to. It's currently playing the Fox Theatre (through May 13, 2012), and there's a reason this show is so successful, it's just edgy enough to appeal to the jaded, and it lightens the tone of this historical racist behavior just enough to succeed with the masses.

The Pantages Theatre will host the touring productions of LA CAGE AUX FOLLES and MEMPHIS this Summer.

Joe DiPietro, Best Book of a Musical for NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT 'I gotta say, I'm a kid at heart with this stuff so hearing about my Tony nomination and 10 for the show just makes me feel about 12 years old again! It was thrilling morning. This afternoon I have a work session with my writing partner David Bryan, so that to me is celebration - getting to work on the next on! These nominations are a testament to Matthew Broderick and Kelli O'Hara and all of the hard work everyone has put into the show.'

We'll be talking to nominees all day for their reactions!

MEMPHIS, the 2010 Tony® Award Winner for Best Musical, opens at the Fabulous Fox Theatre tonight, May 1, for a limited engagement.