The Story of the Shirelles, Scepter Records Coming to Broadway

The Story of the Shirelles, Scepter Records Coming to Broadway
By Karu F. Daniels on Jan 25th 2011 8:08PM
Filed under: News, Theater
Comments [[3)
Email This Another jukebox musical is making its way to The Great White Way.

Following in the footsteps of the wildly popular Jerry Lee Lewis-based musical 'Million Dollar Quarter,' a new tuner, titled 'Baby It's You!' is set to tale the stage at Broadway's Broadhurst Theatre this spring and will set out to tell the story of the force behind the girl group phenomenon of the late 1950s music scene.

Florence Greenberg is largely recognized as the first female powerhouse in the music industry. She founded record companies long before women were allowed to do anything in record company boardrooms outside of serving coffee.

Long before America fell in love with the hit-making sounds of The Supremes and The Beatles, Greenberg discovered one of the greatest girl-groups of all time, The Shirelles, at her daughter's high school in New Jersey.

The success of the girl group craze took Greenberg from being a New Jersey housewife to trailblazing recording industry mogul, creating the independent house of hits that was Scepter Records
Comprised of Shirley Owens, Doris Coley, Beverly Lee, and Addie 'Micki' Harris,The Shirelles' string of hits include 'Baby It's You,' 'Mama Said,' 'Foolish Little Girl' and the chart-topping pop hits 'Will You Love Me Tomorrow' and 'Soldier Boy' and 'Sha La La.' Greenberg and Scepter Records also launched the careers of The Isley Brothers, B.J. Thomas, The Kingsmen, Chuck Jackson, Burt Bacharach, Hal David, and Dionne Warwick.
Conceived and co-directed by Floyd Mutrux, 'Baby, It's You!' will star Tony Award winner Beth Leavel as Greenberg, and a treasure trove of promising Broadway upstarts as the other colorful cast of characters.

According to a production rep, preview performances begin March 26, with the official opening set for April 27.

Produced by Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures and American Pop Anthology, the show has
legendary music producer Richard Perry serving as consulting producer.

I hope the musical is a hit and will bring renewed interest to the careers of the Shirelles and Florence Greenberg. I just bought a bunch of classic albums by the Shirelles. Man, am I on top of trends or what?

I had a chance to see this show a few years ago when they were just testing it out and I missed it. I hope to get another chance soon. It is an intriguing story.

I can only hope that they contact Shirley Alston-Reeves as a consultant as well as anyone else involved with Scepter,
like Paul Cantor who managed the Shirelles, Dionne Warwick, etc.

We will be sharing the stage with SHIRLEY and her group at,
THE AMERICAN MUSIC THEATRE, LANCASTER PA.
I will be sure to get some kind of response from her about this.
We are very good friends,we really have a great time when we are together.
The date, SAT. MARCH 5, 2011.
CEASAR
THE
ORIGINAL
TYMES

I think this would be a great story.

It does raise the question to me ~ with all the material that is available from Motown, why has nothing ever ended up on Broadway other than the show Diana Ross did in the 70's?

It seems very strange; there are so many facets to that story and so many angles that could be taken without any controversy.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Motown_M_1056

I hope the musical is a hit and will bring renewed interest to the careers of the Shirelles and Florence Greenberg. I just bought a bunch of classic albums by the Shirelles. Man, am I on top of trends or what?

---

Looks like you are in advance.

Any chance of you predicting this week's winning lottery numbers for me please!

*smile*

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by jobeterob

I think this would be a great story.

It does raise the question to me ~ with all the material that is available from Motown, why has nothing ever ended up on Broadway other than the show Diana Ross did in the 70's?

It seems very strange; there are so many facets to that story and so many angles that could be taken without any controversy.

---

Rob. I'll say it for you even if you only think it....

Save the best til last!

I'm kidding.

Although in all seriousness, I have to say I find it fascinating [[and perhaps a little humbling too) that there have been so many productions about my favourite musical artists over the years, which have been warmly accepted by so many.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by jobeterob

I think this would be a great story.

It does raise the question to me ~ with all the material that is available from Motown, why has nothing ever ended up on Broadway other than the show Diana Ross did in the 70's?

It seems very strange; there are so many facets to that story and so many angles that could be taken without any controversy.

---

I recall there was talk about a Broadway musical based on Motown, but it was just talk.

Yes, it has been out there forever but it doesn't seem to happen. Maybe the music is prohibitively expensive to license and there are legal issues surrounding the portrayal of live people.

There was a local youth theater production in Detroit a few years about the Marvelettes and the early years of Motown, but that's obviously a different proposition than a Broadway show.

That should be very interesting. For all his faults [[including being a cool blooded murderer and a nut job) Spector was brilliant. The Wall of Sound was beautiful. I was listening to "River Deep" the other night on headphones and the layers of the orchestra and vocals are just amazing.

Tom Cruise showed interest about ten years ago [[before the murder charge) of making a movie about Phil Spector.

This should be interesting to see. Of course other girl groups will want a production done on them as well.

The stories behind so many girl groups are interchangeable.