The Gateway Announces MEMPHIS

Broadway's smash hit musicalMemphis, winner of four Tony Awards® including Best Musical, Best Score, Best Book and Best Orchestrations, will open at The Gateway on July 6th and run through July 21st with preview performances on July 5th.

Charles Isherwood of The New York Times observed, "[Composer] David Bryan evokes the powerhouse funk of James Brown, the hot guitar riffs of Chuck Berry, the smooth harmonies of the Temptations, the silken, bouncy pop of the great girl groups of the period."

Memphis takes place in the smoky halls and underground clubs of the segregated 50's, where a young white DJ named Huey Calhoun falls in love with everything he shouldn't: rock and roll and an electrifying singer Felicia Farrel. It is an original story about the cultural revolution that erupted when his vision met her voice, and the music changed forever. Disc jockey Dewey Phillips was one of the first white DJs to play black music in Memphis during the 1950s. Filled with high-octane dancing, songs that perfectly capture the era and an absorbing tale of fame and forbidden love, the show offers soaring emotion and roof-raising rock 'n' roll.

Memphis stars Gateway alumni Josh Canfield as Huey andMoeisha McGill as Felicia. Josh Canfield most recently appeared in Broadway's acclaimed Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 and Doctor Zhivago. His Gateway credits include starring opposite Andrea McArdle as Billy Crocker inAnything Goes and as Rocky in the Rocky Horror Show. Moeisha McGill starred at Gateway last season as Joanne inRent and as Ronette in Little Shop of Horrors. Ms. McGill's Broadway credits include Motown, Rent, and Mamma Mia.

The principal cast features Melvin Abston as Delray (Broadway-Sister Act, Television - Gotham, Raising Hope, Solace, Weeds, Grey's Anatomy), Kevin Bernard as Mr. Simmons (Broadway-Groundhog Day, Billy Elliot, Curtains, Oklahoma!, Thoroughly Modern Millie), Horace V. Rogers as Gator (Broadway - Tarzan, Brooklyn, Television - Gotham, Boardwalk Empire, Orange is the New Black), Leslie Alexander as Gladys (Broadway/Tour - The Boy from Oz, Mamma Mia!, Fiddler on the Roof, Television - HBO's The Leftovers, One Life To Live) and DeMone as Bobby (Broadway, National, and International - Ragtime, Miss Saigon, RENT, J.C. Superstar, The Gospel at Colonus, The Full Monty, Big River, Sweet Charity, Once on this Island, Black Nativity, The Best of Both Worlds, About Clarence and Me, Sideshow, Othello).

The remaining cast includes Rashad Naylor, Christopher Persichetti, DeUndre James, John Simpson, Cedric Greene, Shaun Avery Williams, Anthony Wright, Zach Eisenberg, Justin William Schaffner, Andrew Metzgar, Tiffany Mellard, Porsha Putney, Chelsea Freeman, Harper Miles, Veronica Fiaoni, Alexa Jane Lowis, Caitlin Mesiano, and Marianne Schmidt.

David Ruttura will direct. Mr. Ruttura is currently the Associate Director of Andrew Lloyd Webber's School of Rock on Broadway and on Tour. Directing credits include theatre companies such as Pittsburgh CLO, Araca Project, Good Company/The Wild Project, TAI Group/Ars Nova, Second Generation, Joe's Pub, Fordham Playwriting Program, and Ensemble Studio Theater. Film Credits include the web series Dick Punch, stalkTALK. As an Associate Director, David has worked on Broadway, off-Broadway, regionally and internationally on such shows as Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark, Follies, Lombardi, Million Dollar Quartet, White Christmas, A Man For All Seasons (Broadway), The Phantom of the Opera (Resident Director, National Tour), Farragut North(Atlantic Theater Company), The Marriage of Bette and Boo(Roundabout Theatre Company), The Wiz and Fanny (City Center Encores!), Irving Berlin's White Christmas, Ben Hur Live(International Tour), Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey'sCircus, Nerds (Philadelphia Theater Company), Most Happy Fella (New York City Opera), The Wiz, and Zhivago (LaJolla Playhouse).

Choreography will be by Gerry McIntyre and Debbie Roshe.
Mr. McIntyre returns to Gateway after choreographing Rent, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, and 9 to 5 starring Sally Struthers and directing and choreographing Ain't Misbehavin'. Other credits include: Once On This Island: Martin Beck Theatre, Virginia Stage Company, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Theatreworks (TBA AWARD, Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Award for choreography) La Mirada (Drama Logue Award- Best Director/Choreographer, Robby Award-Best Director, Ovation nomination best choreographer) Ain't Misbehavin': Actors Theatre Of Louisville, Chicago-Reagle Players, Ogunquit Playhouse (BroadwayWorld Award), Soon Of The Mornin': Lions Theatre, Dreamgirls-National Tour, Joseph......Dreamcoatstarring Diana DeGarmo and Anthony Fedorov, Lyric Theatre.Sammy and Me: Alliance Theatre and Planet Hollywood Las Vegas, Laura Comstock Dog Punching Bag (LA Weekly Nomination), Spamilton: Triade Theatre and Forbidden Vegas at the Weston Hotel.

Ms. Roshe choreographed Palm Beach at La Jolla Playhouse, directed by Des McAnuff, A Novel Romance and Zona, TheGhost Of Greenbrier Off-Broadway, and Damn Yankees at the Ivoryton Playhouse. More recently she choreographed Boys Cry More, a music video for the artist RESH. Other work includesSing A Christmas Song at George Street Playhouse, Young Tom Edison for Theatreworks USA, Where In Time Is Carmen Sandiego? for PBS, The Dana Carvey Show, and Sky Dancers. She choreographed a new version of Diamonds in Kansas City, a National Tour of The Rocky Horror Show, and the nightclub act A Bushel of Nuts. In addition, she is well known for her classes at Steps On Broadway that attract many Broadway dancers and Radio City Rockettes. This will be her first time at Gateway.

Musical Direction will be by Jeffrey Hoffman who has worked as an accompanist, arranger, and conductor with Joe Piscopo, Phyllis Diller, David Brenner, Red Buttons, Rip Taylor, Joan Rivers, Tony Martin and Cyd Charisse. Jeff's previous Gateway credits include Fosse, Beauty and the Beast, Drowsy Chaperone, Spamalot, Sweeney Todd, Singing in the Rain and South Pacific.

The creative team includes Edward T. Morros (Scenic Design),Riva Fairhall (Asst. Scenic Design), Marcia Madeira (Lighting Design) and Nikki Lint as the Production Stage Manager. The show will feature the original Broadway costumes designed byPaul Tazewell.

The show's Tony®-winning original score features music by Bon Jovi's founding member and keyboardist David Bryan and lyrics by Bryan and Joe DiPietro (I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change), who also pens the musical's book. The show is based on a concept by the late George W. George (producer of the Tony nominated Bedroom Farce and the film My Dinner with Andre).

Ticket prices range from $59-$89 per show with Previews starting at $49. Student discounts and group rates are available. For a complete list of show times, pricing and more information about the season, visit our website TheGateway.org, tickets on-line or through the box office at 631-286-1133.

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