Jonathan Abrams (‘The Heart of Rock and Roll’) on writing a ‘love letter to the 80s and to John Hughes’ using Huey Lewis and the News’ music [Exclusive Video Interview]
“I wrote all the lyrics to his songs down, especially the hits, and I pasted them up on my wall and I looked for key words and ideas and images almost like a storyboard as you would a movie,” reveals Jonathan Abrams about his process of transforming the immense catalogue of the band Huey Lewis and the News into the musical “The Heart of Rock and Roll.” The new show, which opens on Broadway at the James Earl Jones Theatre on April 22, tells an original story about an ambitious production line worker torn between pursing a career in music and an executive sales position. The kernel of the idea came from the title song, which the writer shares was “very, very helpful” as an anchor for the work. Watch our exclusive video interview above.
As book writer, Abrams had the “incredibly challenging” task of selecting which of Lewis’ many popular songs to include that would work together to form a cohesive, original story. “Huey was very gracious and, if I recall, never demanded that any song be used,” recollects the librettist, who admits to making some surprising omissions and inclusions. “Heart and Soul,” for example, was a success for the band but he “could never find a way to use that song that felt organic to the story,” whereas he used lesser-known numbers such as “The Only One” and “It Hit Me Like a Hammer” for “some of the most powerful moments in the show.”
WATCH our exclusive video interview with Lorin Latarro, ‘The Heart of Rock and Roll’ choreographer
“The Heart of Rock and Roll” is a joyful musical comedy, but at the heart of the relationship between the dreamer Bobby (Corey Cott) and his boss Cassandra (McKenzie Kurtz), with whom he shares a professional and romantic connection, is the shared loss of a parent. “I lost my dad when I was four and so obviously, that’s probably the defining event of my life, certainly the formation of me as a person,” reflects Abrams, who adds that he wanted to use that experience as “a way to bond two people who on the face of things couldn’t be more different, but to have that shared loss and bonding over it is what gives them a connection.” To that end, the writer has reworked “The Only One” as an 11-o’clock number for Bobby as he grapples with the loss of his dad. He found inspiration for that moment in the film “Top Gun,” as Tom Cruise’s character Maverick learns “that his dad wasn’t a turncoat, but he was actually a war hero.”
The central conflict of “The Heart of Rock and Roll” lies within Bobby as he struggles with that choice between a corporate career and a return to his Chicago-based band which is on the cusp of their big break. As Abrams describes, “Bobby is a guy who likes to spread joy” and “music is certainly a way to do that.” He feels this sentiment is at the heart of the title number, too, which “is about spreading joy,” and it is a message he hopes the audience will embrace, saying, “Just because you’re not playing center field for the Yankees or on tour with your band doesn’t mean that you’re not spreading joy and having an impact on people around you.”
SEE Tony Talk: Will ‘The Outsiders’ break into the competitive Best Musical race?
Abrams has also crafted a rich ensemble of characters, including scene-stealer Roz, who works in human resources at Cassandra’s family business and helps Bobby navigate his dueling ambitions. “Credit where it’s due, Tamika Lawrence is an absolute revelation in the part,” raves the writer, who based the character on one of his favorite movies, “My Best Friend’s Wedding.” He explains, “Rupert Everett was so the scene-stealer in that movie,” and wondered “who’s this sage that’s going to be the audience proxy and comment on some of the absurdity of the things going on?” The librettist ended up loving Roz so much that he expanded the role “to have her own arc and her own win.” The book also includes an ex-boyfriend of Cassandra’s that the writer modeled on “James Spader in ‘Pretty in Pink’” because the musical is “a love letter to the 80s and to John Hughes.”
“The Heart of Rock and Roll” marks Abrams Broadway debut. He describes the show as “the most exciting thing and the most challenging thing I’ve ever done professionally.” It is a show that has accompanied him during “major life moments,” from his honeymoon to first wedding anniversary to the birth of his son, so it is “very special personally” to him. To see the journey through to the James Earl Jones Theatre therefore feels “overwhelming,” and he admits that “the gratitude I feel can barely be expressed.”
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