New York, NY. (Top40 Charts/ MCA Nashville) - Producers Randall L. Wreghitt, Chris Presley and
Ellen Rusconi announced today that PURE COUNTRY, a brand-new original musical, will have its World Premiere as part of the 2008-2009 Broadway Season. The production will begin previews in
Spring 2009, with exact dates and a theater to be announced. A book musical based on the 1992 film of the same name, PURE COUNTRY will feature an eclectic, original score drawing on the sounds of New and Classic Country, as well as Broadway and Adult Contemporary. The musical boasts a powerhouse Creative Team from the worlds of Theater, Film and Country and Pop Music:Film and Theater writer and director
Peter Masterson, best known as the co-writer and co-director of the hit Broadway musical The Best
Little Whorehouse in
Texas (and co-author of the hit film), will direct and co-author the Book.
3-time Grammy nominee and 6-time Emmy nominee Steve Dorff, who has written nine No 1 songs and 15 Top Ten hits (including such classics as Kenny Rogers' 'Through the Years,' Celine Dion's 'Miracle' and the Country staple and hit movie theme 'Every Which Way But Loose' by Eddie Rabbit) will compose the Music.
2-time Emmy nominee, 3-time Grammy nominee and Golden Globe and Oscar nominee John Bettis, whose songs have sold over 250 million records worldwide (writing everything from George Strait's 'Heartland' to Madonna's 'Crazy for You') is writing the Lyrics.Rex McGee, a protege of the legendary filmmaker Billy Wilder, wrote the original Warner Brothers film Pure Country, on which the new musical is based, and co-wrote the musical's Book with Masterson. Sometimes fame and fortune aren't enough. In the new Broadway musical PURE COUNTRY, Rusty is a country music superstar at the height of his career with all the high stakes pressures that come with it. When they start to take their toll and he walks out of an overblown concert tour, his search begins to find himself - and the love he left behind. PURE COUNTRY is about the price of fame and one man's journey home.
Complementing the musical's Creative Team is an A-list Design Team, including Tony-nominated scenic designer Derek McLane (The Pajama Game), three-time Tony-nominated costume designer Ann Roth (a staggering 77 Broadway shows including the original The House of Blue Leaves, Singing' in the Rain and The Odd Couple), Tony-winning lighting designer Kevin Adams (Spring Awakening, Passing Strange) and the Drama Desk Award-winning sound designers Acme Sound Partners (for La Boheme, plus Spamalot, In the Heights).
In addition, choreography will be by internationally-renown choreographer Sean Curran (James Joyce's The Dead and Lincoln Center's Cymbeline on Broadway, founder and Artistic Director of the Sean Curran Company). Music Director will be Eugene Gwozdz.PURE COUNTRY is based on the 1992 Warner Brothers' film of the same name, written by Rex McGee and directed by Christopher Cain. It starred George Strait (in his film debut), Lesley Ann Warren, Kyle Chandler and Rory Calhoun (in his final film appearance).
The soundtrack went to No 1 on the U.S. Country Album Chart and spawned two No 1 Country singles, 'Heartland' and 'I Cross My Heart.' Both songs were written and co-produced by Steven Dorff, the composer of the musical, and have been added to Dorff's otherwise new and original score for the musical PURE COUNTRY.Casting and dates for PURE COUNTRY will be announced in the coming months.
www.PureCountryOnBroadway.com
