''Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story'' is a musical in two acts written by Alan Janes, and featuring the music of

Buddy Holly Charles Hardin Holley (September 7, 1936 – February 3, 1959), known as Buddy Holly, was an American singer, songwriter, and musician who was a central and pioneering figure of rock and roll. He was born to a musical family in Lubbock, Texa ...

. It opened at the Plymouth Theatre Royal in September 1989 before It transferred to the

Victoria Palace Theatre The Victoria Palace Theatre is a West End theatre in Victoria Street, in the City of Westminster. The theatre was designed by Frank Matcham in 1911 and was the last London theatre he designed before his retirement. The building was designated ...

on 12 October 1989. An early example of the

jukebox musical A jukebox musical is a stage musical or musical film in which a majority of the songs are well-known, pre-existing popular music songs, rather than original music composed for the musical. Some jukebox musicals use a wide variety of songs, while ...

, ''Buddy'' ran in London's West End for over 12 years, playing 5,140 performances. Janes took over the producing of the show himself in 2004, and ''Buddy'' has been on tour extensively in the UK since then, having played Broadway, five U.S. National Tours and numerous other productions around the world. The show was nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Musical.

Development

A late-night fan-based conversation in a bar of the Montcalm Hotel in London's West End in 1988, between the theatrical agent Laurie Mansfield, film producer Greg Smith and writer/producer Janes, about

rock and roll Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock-n-roll, and rock 'n' roll) is a Genre (music), genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It Origins of rock and roll, originated from African ...

musician

, led Janes to develop and write Buddy. A year later, supported by

Paul McCartney Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained global fame with the Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and the piano, and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John ...

, who owned the copyright to Buddy Holly's music, the show was produced at the

Theatre Royal, Plymouth Theatre Royal, Plymouth, is a theatre venue in Plymouth, Devon. It consists of a 1,300-seat main auditorium, The Lyric, which regularly hosts large-scale musicals, opera and ballet; a 200-seat studio, The Drum; and a 50-seat studio, The Lab. ...

, before its transfer to London's Victoria Palace.

Productions

Original production

Alan Janes worked with originating director Rob Bettinson, and originating musical director Paul Jury, to present the show for a three/week pre-London engagement in August 1989 at the

, with Paul Hipp as Buddy Holly. The first shows were beset by technical problems, but audiences were enthusiastic.

West End productions

''Buddy'' transferred to the

and opened on 12 October 1989. Structural engineers were called to the theatre to make sure the dress circle could take the weight as the structure bounced with the audience as they danced. Buddy transferred to the

Novello Theatre The Novello Theatre is a West End theatre on Aldwych, in the City of Westminster. It was known as the Strand Theatre between 1913 and 2005. History The theatre was built as one of a pair with the Aldwych Theatre on either side of The Waldo ...

, completing a total of 12 and a half years and 5,140 performances at the two theatres. In 2007, Janes brought the show back to the West End at the

Duchess Theatre The Duchess Theatre is a West End theatre in the City of Westminster, London, located in Catherine Street near Aldwych. The theatre opened on 25 November 1929 and is one of the smallest West End theatres with a proscenium arch. It has 494 ...

, where it played for a further 634 performances. The 50th Anniversary of Holly's death was celebrated on 3 February with a special performance incorporating several new numbers for that one night. The role of Buddy Holly was equally shared by Dean Elliott and Matthew Wycliffe, who played the role in the 2007 UK touring company.

Ritchie Valens Richard Steven Valenzuela (May 13, 1941 – February 3, 1959), better known by his stage name Ritchie Valens, was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. A rock and roll pioneer and a forefather of the Chicano rock movement, Valens died i ...

was played by Puerto Rican actor Miguel Angel, and J.P. Richardson (The Big Bopper) by actor Lee Ormsby. The 50th Anniversary Tour played concurrently across the UK and starred Oliver Seymour-Marsh and Glen Joseph as Buddy, with Chris Redmond and Dan Graham as the Crickets.

UK national tours

A UK national tour of ''Buddy'' began in June 1991 at the

. This was the first West End production to tour the UK while still playing in the West End; it set a record of 243 weeks of continuous touring, or 4 years 35 weeks on the road. Buddy has continued to tour frequently in the UK.

Broadway production/US national tours

After a Toronto try-out and 15 previews, the Broadway production, also starring Hipp, opened on November 4, 1990, at the Shubert Theatre, where it ran for 225 performances. Jill Hennessy played a number of roles, including Holly's wife Maria Elena. The show has toured extensively throughout the US, starting with a 53-week tour in November 1991, and with the 5th tour finishing in March 2016.

International and touring productions

''Buddy'' has been staged in more than 17 countries, including Australia, Austria, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Sweden, UK and USA. Over 25 million people have seen the show worldwide. In Australia, the show's first tour played Sydney's Theatre Royal for 36 weeks before continuing throughout Australia for a further 60 weeks. The second Australian tour in 2009 ran for 39 weeks."Globetrotting World Tours"
Buddy Worldwide Limited, accessed 27 April 2020 In Germany, the Stage Theatre in Hamburg was built on land next to the river Elbe specifically for Buddy, where the show played for seven years between 1994 and 2001.

Characters

*Hipockets Duncan * Joe B. Mauldin *

Jerry Allison Jerry Ivan Allison (August 31, 1939 – August 22, 2022) was an American musician. He was best known as the drummer for the Crickets and co-writer of their hits "That'll Be the Day" and "Peggy Sue", recorded with Buddy Holly. His only solo cha ...

Norman Petty Norman Petty (May 25, 1927 – August 15, 1984) was an American musician, record producer, publisher, and radio station owner. He is considered to be one of the founding fathers of early rock & roll. With Vi Ann Petty—his wife and vocalist—he ...

*Vi Petty * Tommy Allsup, the 'fourth Cricket' * Maria Elena Santiago *

The Big Bopper Jiles Perry Richardson Jr. (October 24, 1930 – February 3, 1959), better known by his stage name The Big Bopper, was an American musician and disc jockey. His best-known compositions include " Chantilly Lace," " Running Bear", and " White Ligh ...

Dion DiMucci Dion Francis DiMucci (born July 18, 1939), better known Mononym, mononymously as Dion, is an American singer and songwriter. His music incorporates elements of doo-wop, Pop music, pop, Rock music, rock, Rhythm and blues, R&B, folk music, folk an ...

* Niki Sullivan *Shirley, Peggy Sue, Mary Lou Sokoloff, Maria Elena's Aunt, Clear Lake MC, Decca Producer, Cindy, Murray Deutch, Jack Daw, Performers at the Apollo, DJs, sound engineers, session musicians, Hayriders, etc.

Synopsis

Performance at the White House for President Bush

Act I

The action takes place in

Lubbock, Texas Lubbock ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat of Lubbock County. With a population of 272,086 in 2024, Lubbock is the 10th-most populous city in Texas and the 84th-most populous in the United States. The city is in the ...

;

Clovis, New Mexico Clovis is a city in and the county seat of Curry County, New Mexico. The population was 38,567 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Clovis is located in the New Mexico portion of the Llano Estacado, in the eastern part of the state. A ...

;

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

and

Clear Lake, Iowa Clear Lake is a city in Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, United States. The population was 7,687 at the 2020 census. The city is named for the large lake on which it is located. It is the home of a number of marinas, state parks and tourism-related ...

; between January 1956 and February 1959. With the support of local Lubbock Texas radio DJ, Hipockets Duncan, Buddy and his two friends form a Country & Western band – Buddy Holly & the Crickets – and begin to carve out a career in music. After a difficult start at

Decca Records Decca Records is a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis (Decca), Edward Lewis after his acquisition of a gramophone manufacturer, The Decca Gramophone Company. It set up an American subsidiary under the Decca name, which bec ...

in Nashville, they sign a contract with up-and-coming, innovative record producer

who is based in Clovis, New Mexico. Within hours, Buddy Holly & the Crickets start to churn out hits from the recording studio built in Norman's backyard, among them "That'll Be The Day", which will rocket up the charts to number one in a matter of weeks. Buddy Holly & the Crickets are suddenly the hottest act in the country and out on national tour. Buddy and his band go to New York where they perform at the

Apollo Theater The Apollo Theater (formerly the Hurtig & Seamon's New Theatre; also Apollo Theatre or 125th Street Apollo Theatre) is a multi-use Theater (structure), theater at 253 125th Street (Manhattan), West 125th Street in the Harlem neighborhood of U ...

making history as the first white band to perform there.

Act II

While recording in New York, Buddy proposes to Maria Elena Santiago, the Puerto Rican receptionist of his music publisher after a courtship of all of five hours. Newly married and ambitious, he shifts focus to New York and a rift develops between him and the Crickets. After a declaration of home truths during a recording session, the band split and Buddy unexpectedly finds himself having to pursue a solo career. Buddy joins ''The Winter Dance Party'' of 1959, a bus tour through the Midwest quenching the teenage thirst for the "new music called Rock 'n' Roll" The tour is hard work, the weather conditions appalling and the performers are alternating between sleeping in the luggage racks and dropping into hospital to be treated for frostbite. The story ends on February 3, 1959, after a rocking concert with the " Big Bopper" J.P. Richardson and Ritchie Valens at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa. Buddy makes the fateful decision to break his promise to his pregnant wife not to fly, as he and the other two headliners board a small plane and take off into the night destined for their next show. During a snow storm, in the dead of night, the plane crashes and spares no survivors.

Scenes

Act 1

* Grand Bowl, Lubbock, Texas * A Lubbock diner * Decca Recording Studios, Nashville * KDAV Radio Studio, Lubbock * NorVaJak Studios, Clovis, New Mexico * Apollo Theatre, Harlem, New York

Act 2

* Music Publisher's Office, New York * Central Park, New York * NorVaJak Studios, Clovis * Buddy & Maria Elena's Apartment, New York * Backstage Surf Ballroom, Clear Lake, Iowa * Clear Lake Concert

Song list

Act I

*"Rose of Texas" (music and lyrics by Paul Jury) *"Flower of My Heart" (music and lyrics by Paul Jury) *"Rip It Up (UK version)" (music and lyrics by Robert Blackwell and John Marascalco) /"Ready Teddy (U.S. version)" (music and lyrics by Robert Blackwell and John Marascalco) *"Changing All Those Changes" (music and lyrics by Buddy Holly) *"

That'll Be The Day "That'll Be the Day" is a song written by Buddy Holly and Jerry Allison. It was first recorded by Buddy Holly and the Three Tunes in 1956 and was re-recorded in 1957 by Holly and his new band, the Crickets. Buddy Holly and the Three Tunes' ver ...

" (music and lyrics by

, Jerry Allison, and Buddy Holly) *"Brown Eyed Handsome Man" (music and lyrics by

Chuck Berry Charles Edward Anderson Berry (October 18, 1926 – March 18, 2017) was an American singer, guitarist and songwriter who pioneered rock and roll. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Father of Rock and Roll", he refined and de ...

) *" Everyday" (music and lyrics by Charles Hardin (Buddy Holly) and Norman Petty) *" Shout" (UK tour) (music and lyrics by Kelly Isley, Ronald Isley, Rudolph Isley) *"Good Time (U.S. version)" (music and lyrics by Paul Jury) *"Party" (music and lyrics by Paul Jury) *" Not Fade Away" (music and lyrics by Charles Hardin and Norman Petty) *

Peggy Sue "Peggy Sue" is a rock and roll song written by Jerry Allison and Norman Petty (according to the official record, though Buddy Holly is known to be a principal songwriter too), and recorded and released as a single by Buddy Holly on September 20, 1 ...

(music and lyrics by Norman Petty, Jerry Allison, and Buddy Holly) *"Words of Love" (music and lyrics by Buddy Holly) ;Act II *"Think It Over" (music and lyrics by Jerry Allison, Norman Petty, and Buddy Holly) *"True Love Ways" (music and lyrics by Norman Petty and Buddy Holly) *"Star Spangled Banner" *" Why Do Fools Fall in Love" (music and lyrics by Frankie Lymon and

Morris Levy Morris Levy (born Moishe Levy; August 27, 1927 – May 21, 1990) was an American entrepreneur in the fields of jazz clubs, music publishing, and the independent record industry. Levy was cofounder and owner of Roulette Records, founding partner ...

) *"

Chantilly Lace Chantilly lace is a handmade bobbin lace named after the city of Chantilly,"Chantilly" ''The Oxford English Dictionary''. 2nd ed. 1989. France, in a tradition dating from the 17th century. The famous silk laces were introduced in the 18th cent ...

" (music and lyrics by J. P. Richardson) *"Maybe Baby" (music and lyrics by Norman Petty and Buddy Holly) *"Peggy Sue Got Married" (music and lyrics by Buddy Holly) *"Heartbeat" (music and lyrics by Norman Petty and Bob Montgomery) *" La Bamba" (traditional, adapted by Ritchie Valens) *" Raining in My Heart" (music and lyrics by Felice Bryant and

Boudleaux Bryant Felice Bryant (born Matilda Genevieve Scaduto; August 7, 1925 – April 22, 2003) and Diadorius Boudleaux Bryant (; February 13, 1920 – June 25, 1987) were an American husband-and-wife country music and pop songwriting team. They were be ...

) *" It Doesn't Matter Anymore" (music and lyrics by

Paul Anka Paul Albert Anka (born July 30, 1941) is a Canadian and American singer, songwriter and actor. His songs include " Diana", “ You Are My Destiny", “Lonely Boy", " Put Your Head on My Shoulder", and " (You're) Having My Baby". Anka also wr ...

) *"

Rave On! "Rave On", also written "Rave On!", is a song written by Sonny West, Bill Tilghman and Norman Petty in 1958. It was first recorded by West for Atlantic Records, which released his version in February 1958 (as Atlantic 45-1174). Buddy Holly recor ...

" (music and lyrics by Norman Petty and Bill Tilghman) *"

Johnny B. Goode "Johnny B. Goode" is a song by American musician Chuck Berry, written and sung by Berry in 1958. Released as a Single (music), single in 1958, it peaked at number two on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, Hot R&B Sides chart and number eight on its pre ...

" (music and lyrics by

) *"Oh, Boy!"

Cast list

References

External links

* *
Interview with Maria Elena Holly

{{DEFAULTSORT:Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story 1989 musicals Biographical musicals about musicians British musicals Broadway musicals Cultural depictions of Buddy Holly Jukebox musicals Musicals set in the 1950s Musicals set in the United States West End musicals