LA JOLLA–La Jolla Playhouse’s Broadway production of “Memphis,” which highlighted the Playhouse’s 2008/09 season before transferring to Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theatre and then to Broadway, was recognized with four Tony Awards during the live, internationally televised awards ceremony last evening, June 13. The show took home awards for Best Musical, Best Original Score, (David Bryan), Best Book of a Musical (Joe DiPietro) and Best Orchestrations (Daryl Waters & David Bryan).
“I could not be more thrilled to see “Memphis” honored with a Tony Award for Best Musical. It’s also extremely gratifying that the amazing work of David Bryan (score, orchestrations), Joe DiPietro (book), as well as Daryl Waters (orchestrations) was recognized,” said Christopher Ashley, Artistic Director of La Jolla Playhouse and director of Memphis. “It has been a rare privilege to work with this cast and creative team – both at the Playhouse and on Broadway – and I am so proud that these great artists have received Tony Award recognition for their outstanding work on Memphis.”
“Memphis” also received four Drama Desk Awards, including Outstanding Musical, Outstanding Music (David Bryan), Outstanding Actress in a Musical (Montego Glover) and Outstanding Orchestrations (David Bryan and Daryl Waters) as well as four Outer Critics Circle Awards, including Outstanding New Broadway Musical, Outstanding New Score (David Bryan), Outstanding Choreographer (Sergio Trujillo) and Outstanding Actress in a Musical (Montego Glover.)
“Memphis’s Tony Awards continue the stream of national recognition for La Jolla Playhouse and for the exciting, creative work originating and taking shape here,” said David P. Dolgen, Chair of the La Jolla Playhouse Board of Trustees. “We couldn’t be more proud of Memphis’s cast and creative team, including our own Artistic Director Christopher Ashley, for his essential contributions and leadership as director of this show.”
“We are overjoyed to see that “Memphis” and its creators were recognized with these prestigious Tony Awards,” said Michael S. Rosenberg, Managing Director of La Jolla Playhouse. “This is a great testament to the caliber of work that is originating as La Jolla Playhouse and to our supportive and enthusiastic San Diego audiences, who embrace new work and who were the first to experience this outstanding production.”
The production had been honored with eight Tony Award nominations including Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical (Joe DiPietro), Best Original Score (music: David Bryan; lyrics: Joe DiPietro and David Bryan), Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical (Chad Kimball), Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical (Montego Glover), Best Costume Design of a Musical (Paul Tazewell), Best Direction of a Musical (Christopher Ashley) and Best Orchestrations (Daryl Waters and David Bryan).
With this latest recognition, La Jolla Playhouse productions have now received 30 Tony Awards from the American Theatre Wing. Previous Best Musical awards have gone to La Jolla Playhouse’s productions of Jersey Boys (still currently playing on Broadway), Thoroughly Modern Millie and Big River. The Playhouse also received the Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre in 1993.
