TWITTER WATCH: SCHOOL OF ROCK's Brandon Niederauer Meets MOTOWN's Berry Gordy

By: Jul. 15, 2016
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As one of the young stars of Broadway's SCHOOL OF ROCK, Brandon Niederauer thrills the crowd eight times a week with his amazing guitar licks. Last night the young musician was thrilled himself to meet one of the pioneers who helped expose African-American music artists to the world, Berry Gordy, at the Broadway return of MOTOWN.

MOTOWN tells the story of how Gordy turned a small record company into a world-famous name, opening doors for artists of color.

The 13-year old guitar prodigy recently celebrated Independence Day by shredding "The Star Spangled Banner" Jimi Hendrix-style, as seen on the video.

Brandon has been mentored by Jon Batiste, inspired by Derek Trucks and the Allman Brothers, appeared at the New Orleans Jazz Festival and Barclays Center, and performed with Lady Gaga, Gregg Allman, Warren Haynes, George Clinton, Gary Clark Jr., the Neville Brothers, Scorpions and many others.

Berry Gordy's Motown the Musical returns to Broadway this summer, and began previews Tuesday, July 12 at The Nederlander Theatre (208 West 41Street) for a strictly limited 18-week-only engagement through Sunday, November 13, 2016.

The smash hit production, featuring the music of the legendary Motown catalogue and a book byBerry Gordy, will star Chester Gregory as Berry Gordy, Allison Semmes as Diana Ross, Jesse Nager as Smokey Robinson, Jarran Muse as Marvin Gaye, and J.J. Batteast and Leon Outlaw, Jr. as Young Berry Gordy/Stevie Wonder/Michael Jackson.

Motown The Musical concluded its original world premiere Broadway engagement on January 18, 2015 following 775 performances at The Lunt Fontanne Theatre. The original Broadway production grossed over $1 million a week regularly throughout its run and concluded as both a critical and audience favorite and a commercial success, having recouped its $18 million investment at the end of 2014.

School of Rock - The Musical opened to rave reviews on Sunday, December 6, 2015. The production was nominated for four 2016 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Score (Lloyd Webber and Slater), Best Book (Fellowes), and Best Leading Actor in a Musical (Alex Brightman).

Based on the hit film, School of Rock - The Musical is a hilarious new musical that follows Dewey Finn, a failed, wannabe rock star who decides to earn a few extra bucks by posing as a substitute teacher at a prestigious prep school. There he turns a class of straight-A students into a guitar-shredding, bass-slapping, mind-blowing rock band. While teaching these pint-sized prodigies what it means to truly rock, Dewey falls for the school's beautiful, but uptight headmistress, helping her rediscover the wild child within.



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