The Heart of Rock and Roll, a new musical based on the songs of Huey Lewis & the News, officially opened on Broadway on April 22. It’s been in the works in one way or another since 2009, and Huey shares what’s surprised him the most about the whole Broadway process.
“Just what an undertaking it is,” he tells ABC Audio. “I remember the night of ‘We Are the World,’ Quincy Jones was producing. And he said to us all, ‘It’s like we’re building the house, folks. We’re going to start with the foundation, and we’re going to put up the frames and the roof.’ … Well, if making a record is building a house, putting up a Broadway show is building an entire city.”
The show tells the story of Bobby and his boss Cassandra, who are both given a shot at their dreams. Huey says he was surprised how well the band’s hits fit into an actual narrative. And seeing the finished product, he says, “I learned things about the songs I didn’t even know. … It’s really gratifying to see [them] live this other life.”
One of Huey’s favorite things is the way the hits “Give Me the Keys,” “Stuck With You” and “The Power of Love” are staged. He adds, “I really like what’s been done with ‘I Want a New Drug’ … [it] zigs when ours zagged.”
In a surprising coincidence, another current Broadway show, Back to the Future, prominently features one of the same songs as The Heart of Rock and Roll: “The Power of Love.”
“It’s pretty unbelievable,” Huey says. “I mean, we’re just around the corner from one another. … It’s Back to the Future‘s finale and it’s our finale, and at times I think both songs are playing at exactly the same time!
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