
The new rock 'n' roll musical
Memphis starts performances at Broadway's Shubert Theatre today, where it is scheduled for an official Broadway opening on October 19 and an open run. Set in the era when rock 'n' roll was just emerging, the show stars Montego Glover (whose credits include
The Color Purple and
Ragtime) as a black songstress who is having difficulty furthering her career because she can't break into segregated clubs. Chad Kimball (previously on Broadway in
Lennon and
Into the Woods) plays a white DJ who uses his radio station to bring her music to a broader audience.
Memphis has a book and lyrics by Joe DiPietro (the man behind the Off-Broadway smash
I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change) and music by Bon Jovi's David Bryan. The duo are currently represented Off-Broadway by a very different kind of musical, the New Jersey-set satire
The Toxic Avenger.