''The Heart of Rock and Roll'' is a jukebox musical with a book by Jonathan A. Abrams and music and lyrics by Huey Lewis and his pop rock band ''

Huey Lewis and the News Huey Lewis and the News are an American rock band based in San Francisco, California. They had a run of hit singles during the 1980s and early 1990s, eventually achieving 19 top ten singles across the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, Adult Contempora ...

'', with new orchestrations of their music by Brian Usifer. The show features an original story revolving around a couple balancing their romance amidst their rock and roll world and corporate world dreams. It is not a biographical piece about the band.The musical officially opened on Broadway at the

James Earl Jones Theatre The James Earl Jones Theatre, originally the Cort Theatre, is a Broadway theater at 138 West 48th Street, between Seventh Avenue and Sixth Avenue, in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States. It was built in ...

on April 22, 2024.

Origin

Going back to at least 2010, producer and writer Tyler Mitchell, whose father-in-law is a good friend of Huey Lewis, first proposed the idea of a musical featuring the band's songs to Lewis. Lewis said he had thought of the idea before, but did not know how the band's songs could be linked together into a story, "because they have nothing to do with each other."Henerson, Evan (13 September 2018).
Bringing Huey Lewis’ Music to a Stage Musical
''

Jewish Journal ''The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles'', known simply as the ''Jewish Journal'', is an independent, nonprofit community weekly newspaper serving the Jewish community of greater Los Angeles, published by TRIBE Media Corp. ''The Journal'' wa ...

'' Mitchell then connected with Jonathan A. Abrams to write a draft original story, and they continued to hone the story over time.

Production history

San Diego (2018)

Huey Lewis first publicly announced the future show in a video with Jimmy Kimmel in February 2018, with Kimmel claiming he was quitting his show to star as Huey in the show, and then being crushed to learn Lewis was not a character in the show. At that time, a venue and debut date was not yet set.Blistein, Jon (8 February 2018)
Huey Lewis and the News Musical in the Works
'' Rolling Stone'' It debuted at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego in September 2018, where it opened previews on September 6, opened on September 14, and ran through October 21, 2018. Matt Doyle and

Katie Rose Clarke Katherine "Katie" Rose Clarke (born August 25, 1984 in Friendswood, Texas) is an American musical theater actress. Early life Clarke was born on August 25, 1984 in Friendswood, Texas. She got her start acting and singing in the United Methodist ...

starred in that production. Doyle actually grew up down the street from Lewis in Ross, California, and already knew the band's music well when he auditioned.Tatro, Samantha (29 August 2018)
Broadway Actor Who Grew Up Down the Street From Huey Lewis Comes Full Circle Starring in Musical Based off His Music
''7 San Diego'' The debut was only a few months after Lewis announced he had Ménière's disease and could no longer perform, and he was glad to be able to focus on the show to stay involved with music.Carannante, Greg (11 December 2018)
Huey Lewis returns to familiar waters as Winterfest Boat Parade grand marshal
''Sun Sentinel''

Broadway (2024)

In July 2023, a pre-Broadway workshop was held in New York City.
/ref>In November 2023, it was announced that the show would open on Broadway in the Spring of 2024. The show began previews on March 29, 2024, and officially opened on April 22 at the James Earl Jones Theatre, James Earl Jones Theatre. The Broadway cast was announced in January 2024.Evans, Greg (16 January 2024)
Huey Lewis Broadway Musical Finds Its Rock & Roll Hearts In Corey Cott And McKenzie Kurtz
'' Deadline''Russo, Gillian (1 November 2023)
'The Heart of Rock and Roll' to open on Broadway this spring
''New York Theatre Guide'' John Dossett, F. Micheal Haynie, Orville Mendoza, and Billy Harrigan Tighe were cast for the same roles they played in the San Diego production.Th Heart of Rock and Rock
theoldglobe.org, Retrieved 12 February 2024 The show is directed by

Gordon Greenberg Gordon Greenberg (born 1969) is a stage director, a theater and television writer, and an Artistic Associate at The New Group. Education Greenberg attended Stanford University and NYU Film School Tisch School of the Arts, as well as The Lincoln ...

and choreographed by

Lorin Latarro Lorin Latarro is a Broadway Director/Choreographer whose work can be seen on Broadway, The Metropolitan Opera, and in dance companies internationally. She began her career as a dancer who performed in fourteen Broadway shows and toured with worl ...

, with a book by Jonathan A. Abrams, derived from the story written by Abrams and Mitchell. Mitchell is producing with Hunter Arnold and Kayla Greenspan.Paulsen, Michael (1 November 2023).
Huey Lewis and the News Musical Is Coming to Broadway in March
'' The New York Times'' The music supervisor/arranger is Brian Usifer and the music director is Will Van Dyke.Gans, Andrew (17 July 2023)
Jonah Platt, Katie Rose Clarke, Tamika Lawrence, Manu Narayan, More Cast in The Heart of Rock & Roll Workshop
''Playbill''

Reception

The reviews of the Broadway production have been positive - finding the show entertaining and funny, even if the plot, like many a jukebox musical, is not deep.

Elisabeth Vincentelli Elisabeth Vincentelli is a French-born, New York-based arts and culture journalist. She is a regular contributor to ''The New York Times’ Arts section''. She served as the chief drama critic for the ''New York Post'' from 2009 until 2016, havin ...

of '' The New York Times'' described it as "the Huey Lewis of musicals: not taking itself too seriously, doing what it does well, and just happy to be on Broadway, keeping company with starrier productions."(22 April 2024)
Review: It’s All Right to Groove to Huey in ‘The Heart of Rock and Roll’
'' The New York Times'' '' The New York Post'' found it to be the "underdog highlight of the season."Oleksinksi, Johnny (22 April 2024)
‘The Heart of Rock and Roll’ review: Huey Lewis’ Broadway show is hilarious fun
'' The New York Post'' '' Vulture'' called it the "funniest new musical of the season."McHenry, Jackson (22 April 2004)
Don’t Think Too Hard About The Heart of Rock and Roll
'' Vulture''

Cast and characters

Musical numbers

;Act I * "Bobby's Daydream" - Bobby, Glenn, JJ, Eli, Company * "

Hip to Be Square "Hip to Be Square" is a song by Huey Lewis and the News, written by Bill Gibson, Sean Hopper, and Huey Lewis, and released in 1986 as the second single from the multi-platinum album ''Fore!''. The song features Pro Football Hall of Famers and t ...

" - Bobby, Cassandra, Roz, Stone * "Be Someone" - Bobby, Roz * "Don't Make Me Do It" - Cassandra, Paige * " Do You Believe in Love?" - Bobby, Fjord * "

Workin' for a Livin' "Workin' for a Livin'" is a single by American rock music, rock band Huey Lewis and the News, released in 1982. Included on their 1982 album ''Picture This (Huey Lewis and the News album), Picture This'', the song peaked at number 20 on the ''Bil ...

" - Cassandra, Roz, Stone * "

I Know What I Like "I Know What I Like" is a song performed by Huey Lewis and the News and released as the fourth single from the album ''Fore!'' in 1987. The single peaked at number nine on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Like their earlier single, " Hip to Be S ...

" - Cassandra * " It's All Right" - Bobby, Cassandra * "I Never Walk Alone" / Finally Found A Home'' - Bobby, Glenn, JJ, Eli * "That's Not Me* - Tucker, Wyatt * "Give Me The Keys (And I'll Drive You Crazy)" - Cassandra, Tucker, Wyatt * "The Pitch" - Bobby, Cassandra, Stone * "Do You Believe in Love? (reprise)" - Bobby, Cassandra, Glenn, JJ, Eli * " The Heart of Rock & Roll" - Company ;Act II * "You Crack Me Up" - Cassandra, Paige, Tucker, Wyatt * "It's All Right (reprise)" - Bobby, Roz * "

I Want a New Drug "I Want a New Drug" is a song by American rock band Huey Lewis and the News from their third album ''Sports''. It is its second single, following the top-ten hit " Heart and Soul" in January 1984. The single reached number six on the U.S. ''Bill ...

" - Bobby * "

Doing It All for My Baby "Doing It All for My Baby" is a song performed by Huey Lewis and the News, released as a single from the album ''Fore!'' in 1987. The single peaked at number six on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100 on September 19, 1987, becoming the fifth top-te ...

" - Roz, Stone, Fjord * " Stuck with You" - Cassandra, Paige, Tucker, Wyatt * "Don't Make Me Do It (reprise)" - Paige, Wyatt * " The Power of Love" - Bobby * "

It Hit Me Like a Hammer "It Hit Me Like a Hammer" is a song by American rock band Huey Lewis and the News, released in 1991 by EMI USA as the second single from their sixth album, ''Hard at Play'' (1991). The song was co-written by band leader Huey Lewis and songwriter/ ...

" - Cassandra * "Back In Time" - Roz * " Jacob's Ladder" - Bobby, Glenn, JJ, Eli * "The Only One" - Bobby * " Perfect World" - Glenn, JJ, Eli * "Be Someone (reprise)" - Bobby * "The Awards Ceremony" - Company * " If This Is It" - Bobby, Paige, Wyatt, Fjord * "Tattoo (Giving It All Up for Love)" - Bobby, Paige, Wyatt, Fjord * "Power of Love (reprise)" - Company

References

External links

*
Official Broadway show website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Heart of Rock and Roll, The Broadway musicals Musicals set in the 1980s Huey Lewis and the News Jukebox musicals