The Heart of Rock and Roll is well and alive at the James Earl Jones Theatre, this time as a new jukebox musical. The show, directed by Gordon Greenberg, is a comedic and exciting endeavor set to the vastly popular music of Huey Lewis and The News. New to Broadway, The Heart of Rock and Roll opens Monday, April 22nd, and is nothing short of a joy fest for fans of Huey Lewis and The News as well as newcomers.
A Brief Production History:
Starting with a story, written by Tyler Mitchell and Jonathan A. Abrams, in around 2010 the conversations for a musical began. Tyler, having long-term family connections to Huey brought up the idea in passing and Huey was quick to jump, explaining that once he has a story, he is ready to start! According to Jonathan as they worked on the show they had to consistently ask the following questions:
"Is the story supporting the music? Is the music supporting the story?"
The connection of story to song is seemingly a strong point for Huey himself as he collaborated on the piece. He wanted an enticing story, yet wanted to weave an invisible thread through the songs, that so many have grown to adore, in order to establish a strong connection between book to song. When asked about this process, Huey stated:
"One of the difficulties of having our music be the sole music for the show is that I try to write songs about different things, so the notion that you can weave all these songs together in a story is pretty incredible."
Huey attributes this successful connection to Mitchell and Abrams as they created an entirely original and non-biographical narrative that captures the essence of what the band strives to emulate.
Several years later, in 2018 on Jimmy Kimmel, Huey Lewis first announced the workshopping of a future stage musical to the public. Kimmel, harmonica in hand, stated with the utmost confidence, that he was going to star as Huey, only to be wildly disappointed as Huey quickly informs him that he is not a character in the show. With Kimmel's dreams of Broadway crushed, three workshops, and years of hard work later the show finally had a space.
From September to late October of 2018, The Heart of Rock and Roll: A New Musical Inspired by the Iconic Songs of Huey Lewis and The News, premiered at The Old Globe Theatre in San Diego. At The Old Globe Theatre, we saw scenic design by Derek McLane, Choreography by Lorin Latarro, direction by Gordon Greenberg, and sound design by John Shivers. All of whom followed the production to its current place with a few notable additions including costume design by Jenn Caprio and lighting design by Japhy Weideman.
Flashforward to 2023, in July the show received a New York workshop eventually leading to the announcement in November of 2023 that the show would run on Broadway the following year.
What is it about?
The Heart of Rock and Roll is a rom-com through and through, encased with a contagious joyful spirit, that loudly proclaims a story of love, heart, and passion.
The show tells the story of Bobby, portrayed by Corey Cott, and his stint as an employee in corporate America following his run as an unsuccessful rock star. Well, as boring and corporate as you can get: a cardboard box factory. At the factory, run by Stone and his incredibly ambitious daughter Cassandra, portrayed by Mckenzie Kurtz, Bobby wants to rise up the corporate ladder. He starts by working the line. He seems to have his entire life planned out, he knows exactly what he wants, much like Cassandra. That is until the two are forced to tackle romance and address what they truly want from life.
Bobby tries relentlessly to impress Stone and Cassandra and fails spectacularly every time, somehow outdoing himself at every turn. Stone, not quite as forgiving as Cassandra, fires him after he oversteps his role, making a deal that would cost the company money. Money they don't have to spare. Bobby can't take no for an answer. How else is he going to achieve his goal of becoming a salesperson and climbing up that corporate ladder?
When Stone is honored at a major pacakaginh convention, Bobby sees this as an opportunity. After all, he knows the company is in financial trouble, even if Cassandra does everything she can to avoid any financial complications. Seeing this as his time to shine, he reaches out to Roz the company's HR professional, portrayed by an incredible Tamika Lawrence, in hopes that she can sneak him inside the convention. Bobby knows of a very important and incredibly rich businessman: Fjord, portrayed by none other than Orville Mendoza, who will be at the convention looking for a new business partnership. Following Bobby's logic: what better time to practice his sales pitch than on quite possibly the biggest deal the company would ever make, despite the fact that he is no longer on the payroll.
Somehow against all odds Bobby not only gets to the convention but baits the deal so successfully that Fjord wants to meet again. Only now Bobby knows he needs Cassandra's help. He doesn’t know the ins and outs of the finances. Together they secure the deal, mildly ignoring the elephant in the room surrounding his employment status. Fjord wants them and this deal could save the company but he only wants to sign the aforementioned contract if Bobby is involved, leaving Stone little choice.
At the convention Cassandra is met by her friend Paige, played by Zoe Jenson, who despite Cassandra's plea to stay focused on work, is convinced now is just the right time to reintroduce love into her life. Cassandra’s college boyfriend Tucker, who is every bit the comedic villain you'd expect is ready to buy her love. Sucessful, powerful, and arrogant he forces his way into her life and sees Bobby as a threat. Tucker knows bout Bobby's moonlighting as a musician and even sees his growing success. He’s determined to stop him, especially as he grows closer to Cassandra.
Bobby is ultimately faced with an ultimatum as his band, which he reconnected with while at the convention, gains immense popularity. Does he keep making music when they offer him a record deal and a tour, or does he continue to climb the corporate ladder and accept the very obvious feelings he has for Cassandra?
So what do you think?
The Heart of Rock and Roll is undoubtedly entertaining and offers familiar and well-orchestrated music, as well as an incredibly talented and energetic company. The production offers a romcom-style story that, although predictable, is exciting and well-constructed enough to keep the audience engaged and seeping with joy. In a sea of new musicals in the 2023-24 season, this musical offers a positive spin on classic hits that appeal to a wide audience, whether you are a devoted fan of Huey Lewis and The News or if you just found your way into the theatre that evening.
Jonathan and Mitchell's story blends humor into the plot seamlessly especially when looking at the location that spawns the plot: The box factory. According to Johnathan:
"If a guy is going to quit being a rock star to go straight, what is the most boring thing we could have him do? I asked my wife that question, and she didn’t hesitate: “He should work in a cardboard box factory!"
This humor and attention to detail even in these seemingly trivial moments were a highlight in my experience at the theatre. This idea of a box factory lent itself to many other creative departments' decisions, as the ensemble danced on bubble wrap and even so far as Cassandra, who briefly wore a cardboard skirt to the packaging convention.
The Stones, intended to be boring and plain, as evidenced by their profession and awkwardness around the others, are forced into new situations in which Cassandra's friend, Paige, tries to set her up on dates, and asks her to "loosen up" a bit, something we all could likely take note of. Cassandra's quirkiness makes it next to impossible not to love her, as well as to route for her success. Audience members around me could be heard mumbling under their breath, anxiously awaiting Tucker's demise in favor of her triumphs. I truly appreciate a performance in which we as an audience can gain a sense of empathy for the characters presented to us, especially in comedies where more often than not I find the writing to focus on the whole vs the parts.
A major artistic stand out for me was costume designer Jen Caprio. Back from her run in the 2023 revival of Spamalot, Jen Caprio’s costumes steal the show. There is a moment in which Cassandra’s very time-appropriate white business suit is transitioned into wedding attire, without any real change to the costume itself. The set design shift leads to an entirely different meaning to an otherwise identical costume. I found that choice to be incredibly clever, keeping Cassandra on stage and in the spotlight which is exactly where she belongs as the story showcases a humorous look into the future should she choose to stay with Tucker.
Caprio’s designs are bright, bold, and exactly what you would hope for in a musical set in the '80s. Sequins, power suits, sweater vests, and vibrantly colored blazers fill the stage and there is never a moment where the costumes fall flat. Tucker's line "1..2..Sweater vest" may just be my favorite line in the show. Another specific example of this attention to detail that was striking to me, was the scene in which Bobby sings about his guitar. Two ensemble dancers emerge draped in dresses with delicately and intentionally placed lines to mimic that of guitar strings and coloring similarly positioned to mimic the body of the guitar. It is this attention to detail amid the glitz and glam of the 1980s chaos that shines so brightly in Caprio's work.
At large, this musical is amusing and promises to bring a good time, to which it delivers. It provides the joy and excitement of a rom-com with both wildly entertaining and skillful performers. I think this show is an excellent example of the concept in that, a show does not have to be life-altering to be fun or to be meaningful. This show takes classic, well-loved, music and asks us to simply have a good time, which I argue is a goal they overwhelmingly accomplished.
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