Good News! THE HEART OF ROCK AND ROLL, the new musical comedy inspired by the chart-topping anthems of HUEY LEWIS AND THE NEWS, is coming to Broadway.
Set in 1987 and jam-packed with HUEY LEWIS megahits like “Do You Believe in Love,” “Hip to Be Square,” and “If This Is It,” THE HEART OF ROCK AND ROLL centers on a couple of twenty-somethings on the cusp of their futures—Bobby, a rock and roller who’s traded his guitar for the corporate ladder and his boss Cassandra who’s always put the family business first. When they both get a second shot at their dreams, it’ll take “The Power of Love” and a little help from their friends to figure out what kind of life they really want.
THE HEART OF ROCK AND ROLL is a smart, funny, heartfelt throwback to the era of big feelings, classic rom-coms, and music that really “Stuck With You.”
Strangely, these shortcomings become assets of a sort in “The Heart of Rock and Roll,” the new show now bringing the group’s repertoire to Broadway. Jukebox musicals, for all their contemptible elements, can be most irritating when they try too hard either to deify an artist or to find fresh wit and relevance in a popular repertoire. One of the reasons “Mamma Mia” became an enduring hit is that it steered clear of both these strategies, choosing instead to have giddy fun with what happens to be one of the most inviting catalogs in pop music.
To distract from this baffling tale, director Gordon Greenberg’s high-energy production throws a ton of pure adrenaline at the audience. At times, it works. An exuberantly silly bubble-wrap based dance number is a delight, and Tucker’s terrifying a cappella group “The Undertones'' delivers an impressive rendition of “Give Me The Keys.” (Tucker cues up that number with the opener, “5…6…Sweater vest!”). When it truly pops off, Lorin Latarro’s lunatic choreography is actually some of the sharpest on Broadway this season.
General Rush
Price: $45
Where: James Earl Jones Theatre box office
When: When the box office opens on the day of the performance.
Limit: Two per customer.
Information: Subject to daily availability.
Digital Lottery:
Price: $49
Where: https://rush.telecharge.com/.
When: Entries begin at 12:00 am one day before the performance, and winners are drawn that same day at 10:00 am and 3:00 pm.
Limit: Two per customer
Information: Subject to availability.
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