Subtitled “The Bert Berns Story,” Piece of My Heart has a book by Daniel Goldfarb that traces the career of the 1960s composer of songs including the Beatles’ “Twist and Shout,” plus “Brown Eyed Girl,” “Cry Baby,” “Under the Boardwalk," "Hang on Sloopy” and the Janis Joplin hit that gives the show its title. Berns died in 1967 at 38 of heart failure.
The initial Off-Broadway production ran July through September 2014 at the Irene Diamond Stage at The Pershing Square Signature Center.
This week’s readings, open to invited theatre industry audiences only, will be performed by Zak Resnick (as Berns), Drama Desk Award nominee Leslie Kritzer, Tony Award nominee de’Adre Aziza, Theatre World Award winner Linda Hart, plus Derrick Baskin, Carleigh Bettiol, Bryan Fenkart, Joseph Siravo and Mark Zeisler, with an ensemble that includes Teresa Gattison, Shonica Gooden, Ralph Meitzler, Harris Milgrim, Michael Millan, Gabrielle Ruiz and Heather Parcells.
Directed and choreographed by Denis Jones, the reading is being produced by Merged Work Productions and Jack Thomas. A production release said the show is “headed for Broadway,” but contained no Broadway dates or theatre.
Also on the creative team: Garry Sherman (music supervision, orchestrations & arrangements) and Lon Hoyt (music direction and additional vocal arrangements).
Click here for details on the 2014 Off-Broadway run, and the initial announcement of the planned Broadway transfer.
