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Video: Huey Lewis Talks The HEART OF ROCK AND ROLL on THE VIEW
The new musical will officially open at the James Earl Jones Theatre on April 22.
By: Josh Sharpe
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Huey Lewis joined The View on Wednesday to discuss his new musical The Heart of Rock and Roll.
With both this show and Back to the Future (which features his hit song The Power of Love) currently on Broadway, the hosts asked if this move to musical theatre was a goal of his. "It's not something that I ever aspired to...but it's been kind of a late life gift," the artist said.
Lewis went on to talk about the trend of jukebox musicals that are centered on popular artists, rather than songs gaining traction following their Broadway roots:
"It's kind of a shame, really. It's done, I think, because recognizability is so important. But, in the old days, they wrote songs for shows that became popular when Sinatra or somebody did them...but I'm not gonna bite the hand that feeds me," he said with a smile.
Lewis also discussed the lead role of Bobby and his own connections to the character, having had a day job as he was trying to break into music. "I was the same age that Bobby is when I started this band...so I understand some of the ambition and anxiety..."
The Heart of Rock and Roll is the new musical inspired by the iconic songs of Huey Lewis and The News. The musical is currently in previews at the James Earl Jones Theatre and will officially open on Monday, April 22.
The principal cast includes Corey Cott, McKenzie Kurtz, Josh Breckenridge, F. Michael Haynie, Zoe Jensen, Tamika Lawrence, Raymond J. Lee, John-Michael Lyles, Orville Mendoza, Billy Harrigan Tighe and John Dossett.
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.
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