The Heart of Rock and Roll, the new jukebox musical inspired by the music of Huey Lewis and The News, held a gala celebration April 19, and the stars brought their best looks. Previews began March 29 at Broadway's James Earl Jones Theatre, with an official opening set for April 22 (which is when reviews will be released).

The musical has a book by Jonathan A. Abrams and a score of Huey Lewis hits, including “The Heart of Rock and Roll,” “Hip to be Square,” “Power of Love,” “Do You Believe in Love?,” “If This Is It,” “Doing It All for My Baby,” “Stuck with You,” "I Want a New Drug,” “It’s Alright,” and “Heart and Soul.”

"The dedication, the hard work, and just the talent is amazing," Lewis says of the production, while on the show’s bright pink carpet. "Musical theatre is the most demanding and therefore the most rewarding form of artistic expression. These actors, they do it all. They dance, they sing, they act, they play instruments. It's inspiring.”

Click here to purchase the opening night Playbill for The Heart of Rock and Roll

Hear from the cast and creatives on how The Heart of Rock and Roll "offers the gift of joy" in the video below. 

The musical follows Bobby (played by Corey Cott), a Chicagoan whose failed band leads to him returning to corporate America. While working, he meets his boss, Cassandra (McKenzie Kurtz), who has also traded in her personal life for a professional one. Together, the two realize their dreams when Bobby gets another shot at stardom and Cassandra is up for the CEO job. But it’s not all dramatics, besides rock ‘n’ roll, laughter is the other most important ingredient in the new musical.

"I feel like everybody needs a little more laughter, especially in this day and age," Kurtz says. "Audiences that are coming are really responding so well to it, and saying, 'I really needed that,' and leaving with a smile on their face. I think it's really just a breath of fresh air, and it's so important that we have that."

With a story by Tyler Mitchell and Abrams, the production is directed by Gordon Greenberg, who has been attached for the entirety of the musical's public development. 

"A show like this, that really is all about delivering joy, and effervescence, and making your life a little happier than it was before you walked in, it's been incredible," Greenberg says. "This joy machine of a show is working, and audiences come out singing, and dancing, and like a foot off the ground. So I couldn't be happier or prouder to have created this."

WATCH: See the Cast of The Heart of Rock and Roll Perform the Show's Title Song on Good Morning America

Check out photos from the hot pink gala carpet in the gallery below.

close gallery

0 of

Photos: Cyndi Lauper, Huey Lewis, Jimmy Kimmel, More on The Heart of Rock and Roll Opening Night Red Carpet

Next Slide  

You may also like

• 
  Photos: MJ Celebrates Halloween With Post-Show Performance of Thriller
• 
  Broadway Stars Dress Up for Halloween 2025
• 
  Photos: Lupita Nyong'o, Katrina Lenk, Jelani Alladin, More Celebrate Teeth's Opening Night Off-Broadway

The cast also includes Josh Breckenridge as Wyatt, F. Michael Haynie as Glenn, Zoe Jensen as Paige, Tamika Lawrence as Roz, Raymond J. Lee as JJ, John-Michael Lyles as Eli, Orville Mendoza as Fjord, Billy Harrigan Tighe as Tucker, and John Dossett as Stone.

The ensemble features Mike Baerga, Tommy Bracco, TyNia René Brandon, Olivia Cece, Taylor Marie Daniel, Autumn Gazzardi, Lindsay Joan, Ross Lekites, Robin Masella, Michael Olaribigbe, Kevin Pariseau, and Robert Pendilla. Joe Moeller, Jennifer Noble, Fredric Rodriguez Odgaard, and Leah Read round out the company as swings.

The production also features music direction by Will Van Dyke, scenic design by Derek McLane, costume design by Jen Caprio, lighting design by Japhy Weideman, sound design by John Shivers, casting by Tara Rubin Casting's Peter Van Dam, and hair, wig, and makeup design by Nikiya Mathis. Justin Scribner serves as production stage manager. Music supervision, arrangements, and orchestrations are by Brian Usifer with choreography by Lorin Latarro.

Tyler Mitchell, Hunter Arnold, and Kayla Greenspan lead the producing team, alongside co-producers Chuck Schwab, Curt Cronin, John Joseph, Brad Freeman, Whitney Kiely Moehle, Nederlander Presentations, Stephens Brothers Productions, Gary & Marcia Nelson, Michael Wilsey Family, Mickey Gooch, Jr., HLX Invest Co, Dagley Pottruck Productions, Primary Wave Music, Ken Siebel, Badlamp Productions, and Will Meldman.

Visit HeartOfRocknRollBway.com.