The musical is loosely based on Memphis disc jockey Dewey Phillips, one of the first white DJs to play black music in the 1950s, and this new Broadway musical (opened 10/2009) is said to burst off the stage with explosive dancing, irresistible songs and a thrilling tale of fame and forbidden love.
Seriously though, I could just stop writing and let you watch the teaser video below (scroll down….) and you’d be lining up to buy tickets (or clicking online to buy tickets) no matter what I wrote.
That said….. you MIGHT not have to buy yourself a pair of tickets. Because we’re giving away TWOÂ FREEÂ pairs to a show of your choice. Saweet!
First, you may be asking, why are we giving away free pairs of tickets to this show on TC Jewfolk? Â What’s so Jewish about this show?Â
Did you know that David Bryan, the Grammy-award winning keyboard player, songwriter and founding member of Bon Jovi, when he’s not busy selling 100 million albums, traveling the world and playing to millions of people in 50 countries, composes and writes the lyrics to musicals? Bet you had no idea. David Bryan wrote the Tony-award winning original score for Memphis (Joe DiPietro of I Love You; You’re Perfect, Now Change wrote the Tony-award winning book).
Bet you had even less of an idea that David Bryan was born David Bryan Rashbaum.
He remembers going to Temple, and says that his non-Kippah wearing, motorcycling rabbi was a “huge influence” on him. He belongs to a synagogue today, and Bat Mitzvahed his twin daughters. He’s also a mensch. David has dedicated his time to become a national spokesperson for VH1’s Save The Music Program, traveling across the country to many of the 43 cities which participated in the program in 2001.
David got the script for Memphis in 2002, and told the Jewish Daily Forward newspaper that:
“When I first read the script, I heard everything [in my head]: the music, the lyrics… I went down to my studio, put on the drum machine, sang lead and harmonies. I burned it onto a CD and FedExed it to [DiPietro]. He called me and told me, “You got the gig.”
The story rang true to me. I’m a white Jewish kid from Edison [N.J.], and I know racism and hatred. When you see that in the show onstage, you see how ugly that looks. Hopefully that will teach you a little bit that that’s not the way people should be treating each other.”
Okay, you’ve been waiting for it, here’s the teaser Video for Memphis – is it awesome or what?
httpv://youtu.be/LRtKhT3VMI0
Now that you’re officially panting to get these tickets, here’s all you have to do to win.
Answer this question in the comments to this post before Saturday, March 4th at midnight:
What’s your favorite Bon Jovi song?Â
We’ll draw the two winners randomly, and each will get a pair of tickets to a performance of their choice of Memphis at St. Paul’s Ordway Theater.  Good luck!
If you don’t win, buy your tickets here. See you at the show!
(Photo: Wikimedia Commons)
Livin’ on a Prayer
Living on a Prayer, HANDS DOWN! Although I gotta say that I LOVE Bed of Roses too!
Livin on a Prayer
Blaze Of Glory – singing it in my head right now!
I like Bon Jovi’s “I’ll be there for you”
It’s My Life!
I’m not entering the contest, but I’d just like to say I saw Memphis last weekend on PBS, and it is fantastic. So, I encourage you to enter the contest, but if you don’t win, don’t hesitate to buy tickets. It’s a great show.
It’s my life!
I love “It’s My Life”
“It’s My Life” will cause one to crank the sound up ;D
“It’s my life”
My favorite is “Wanted Dead or Alive”. Very westernish and haunting!
It’s my life!
living on a prayer
You give love a bad name
“Have a Nice Day”
Livin on a Prayer!
“You give love a bad name!”
Its My Life!
misunderstood
My favorite would be Runaway.
Bounce
Livin’ on a prayer
Fast Cars is my choice.
Livin On A Prayer!
We Weren’t Born to Follow
Halleluyah (love that song no matter who sings it, but really like their rendition.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSJbYWPEaxw
If “Halleluyah” doesn’t count because it isn’t theirs, then I’d have to go with “Livin’ On A Prayer.” 🙂
And the winners are ….. Hannah and Mal! CONGRATS! I will email you soon about details. The rest of you should buy tickets to this show. It looks fabulous.