Overview
From the underground dance clubs of 1950’s Memphis, Tennessee, comes the Tony and Olivier Award®-winning musical that bursts off the stage with explosive dancing, irresistible songs and a thrilling tale of fame and forbidden love.
Inspired by actual events, MEMPHIS is about a white radio DJ who wants to change the world and a black club singer who is ready for her big break. Come along on their incredible journey to the ends of the airwaves – filled with laughter, soaring emotion and roof-raising rock ‘n’ roll. Winner of four 2010 Tony Awards® including Best Musical and two 2015 Olivier Awards, MEMPHIS features a Tony®-winning book by Joe DiPietro and a Tony®-winning original score with music by Bon Jovi founding member David Bryan.
MEMPHIS School Edition has been adapted from the original Broadway Production. The School Edition has been carefully edited, with additional director’s notes throughout, to make the show more producible for high school groups. In some cases problematic language has been changed, while in others an alternate choice is offered at the discretion of the director.
Casting & Production
Casting
HUEY CALHOUN
FELICIA FARRELL
DELRAY JONES
GATOR
BOBBY
MAMA (GLADYS CALHOUN)
MR. SIMMONS
WHITE DJ/MR. COLLINS/WHITE FATHER/GORDON GRANT/ENSEMBLE
BLACK DJ/BE BLACK TRIO/ENSEMBLE
WAILIN’ JOE/REVEREND HOBSON/ENSEMBLE
SOMEDAY BACKUP SINGER/ENSEMBLE
SOMEDAY BACKUP SINGER/ENSEMBLE
SOMEDAY BACKUP SINGER/DOUBLE DUTCH GIRL/ENSEMBLE ETHEL/ENSEMBLE
BE BLACK TRIO/ENSEMBLE
BE BLACK TRIO/ENSEMBLE
CLARA/WHITE MOTHER/ENSEMBLE
BUCK WILEY/MARTIN HOLTON/ENSEMBLE
TEENAGER/ENSEMBLE DOUBLE DUTCH GIRL/ENSEMBLE
PERRY COMO/FRANK DRYER/ENSEMBLE
Opportunities for featured casting in the ensemble.
Orchestral Information
9 Musicians
Piano/Conductor (Keyboard 1)
Keyboard 2
Reed 1 (Flute, Alto Sax)
Reed 2 (Bass Clarinet, Baritone Sax, Tenor Sax)
Trumpet
Trombone
Guitar (One Player – Electric & Acoustic)
Bass (Electric)
Drums (Drum Set)
Credits
MEMPHIS
School Edition
Book and Lyrics by JOE DIPIETRO
Book and Lyrics by DAVID BRYAN
Based on a Concept by GEORGE W. GEORGE
Originally produced on Broadway by Junkyard Dog Productions, Barbara and Buddy Freitag, and Marleen and Kenny Alhadeff, Latitude Link, Jim and Susan Blair, Demos Bizar Entertainment, Land Line Productions, Apples and Oranges Productions, Dave Copley, Dancap Productions, Inc., Alex and Katya Lukianov, Tony Ponturo, 2 Guys Productions, Richard Winkler, in association with Lauren Doll, Eric and Marsi Gardiner, Linda and Bill Potter, Broadway Across America, Jocko Productions, Patty Baker, and Dan Frishwasser, Bob Bartner/Scott and Kayla Union, Loraine Boyle/Chase Mishkin, Remmel T. Dickinson/Memphis Orpheum Group, Shadowcatcher Entertainment/Vijay and Sita Vashee.
In addition, in the title page of all programs in connection with the Play, the following credits shall be included:
Orchestrations by Daryl Waters and David Bryan
Media
- Underground
- The Music of My Soul
- Scratch My Itch
- Ain't Nothin' But a Kiss
- Everybody Wants to Be Black on a Saturday Night
- Make Me Stronger
- Colored Woman
- Someday
- She's My Sister
- Radio
- Say A Prayer
- Crazy Little Huey
- Big Love
- Love Will Stand When All Else Fails
- Stand Up
- Change Don't Come Easy
- Tear Down the House
- Memphis Lives In Me
- Steal Your Rock 'n' Roll
Authors
Resources
