MEMPHIS Opens 1/22 at City Theatre

St. Petersburg City Theatre continues its 91st Mainstage Season, presented by Raymond James, with MEMPHIS, THE MUSICAL, winner of the 2010 Tony Award for Best Musical. Preview on January 21, 2016 at 8pm. Opening night is January 22 and the production runs through February 7.

Friday & Saturday evenings at 8pm; Sunday matinees at 2pm. Lobby will open 1 hour prior to the show, with doors to the audience chamber opening 30 minutes prior to the show.

Tickets are $24 for adults; $10 for students with student I.D. Full price tickets ($24) may be purchased by phone or in person at our Box Office, or online at www.spcitytheatre.org. Group discounts are available for groups of 10 or more.

Please call the Box Office in inquire about group discounts or student tickets at 727-866-1973. Box Office number: 727-866-1973. Box Office hours are Monday through Friday, 10am-4pm.

The story is set in the 1950s underground nightclubs of Memphis, Tennessee, where the first sounds of rock 'n' roll, blues, and gospel were born. Inspired by actual events, MEMPHIS follows the story of Huey Calhoun (loosely based on Dewey Phillips, a pioneer in rock 'n' roll radio, and one of the first DJs to play black music on white radio) as he falls in love with a beautiful singer and battles cultural divides as he tries to bring her voice to the airwaves of America.

The original Broadway production won four 2010 Tony Awards, including Best Original Score and Best Musical. MEMPHIS played pre-Broadway at the La Jolla Playhouse and Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre and features a Tony-winning book by Joe DiPietro ( I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change) and Tony-winning music by Bon Jovi's David Bryan.

Erica Sutherlin is directing City Theatre's production of MEMPHIS. This will be her third show directing for City Theatre. She previously directed To Kill a Mockingbird and Ordinary People at City Theatre. Ms. Sutherlin is the Managing Artistic Director of the newly opened The Space at 2106 in Tampa and is well-known to audiences on both sides of the bay, as an actress, director, filmmaker, poet, and arts educator. Recent directing credits include For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf, Ain't Misbehavin, Clybourne Park, Polaroid Story, A Streetcar Named Desire, The Wiz, The Women, and The Colored Museum.

Rodney Hamilton is choreographing City Theatre's production of MEMPHIS. A native of St. Louis, Missouri, he began his dance training at the age of 10 with Carr Lane VPA, COCA, Alexandra School of Ballet and the Catherine Dunham workshop. In 1996 at the age of 14 Mr. Hamilton joined the adult dance chorus at the Muny of St. Louis. He graduated from Julliard School and joined Ballet Hispanico of New York where he was a principal dancer for 10 years. Mr. Hamilton also appeared in the national tour of Hello, Dolly! with Carol Channing. For City Theatre, Mr. Hamilton has choreographed Hello, Dolly!, Dracula, the Vampire Strikes Back, and directed and choreographed last season's smash hit Footloose!

Latoya McCormick is musical director for City Theatre's production of MEMPHIS. Ms. McCormick has appeared onstage and/or worked as musical director for productions throughout Tampa Bay. Recent credits include Eight O'Clock Theatre's The Addams Family and A Grand Night for Singing; Stageworks' Ain't Misbehavin; City Theatre's Footloose and 9 to 5.