The Berkshire Theatre Group‘s production of Rock and Roll Man: The Alan Freed Story opened at Pittsfield’s Colonial Theatre on June 27.
The musical, led by Alan Campbell in the title role, takes the form of a fictional trial, in which iconic figures like Little Richard (Richard Crandle) and J. Edgar Hoover (George Wendt) state their case in defense of and against historic disc jockey Alan Freed.
The semi-jukebox musical is directed by Randal Myler with choreography by Brian Reeder and a book by Gary Kupper, Larry Marshak and Rose Caiola.
Read what critics thought of Rock and Roll Man’s tryout below:
The Berkshire Edge (J. Peter Bergman and Dan Dwyer)
Berkshire On Stage (Barbara Waldinger)
The New York Times (Ben Brantley)
Theater News Online (Jeremy Gerard)
Playbill will continue this list as more reviews come in.
The production features a set design by Tim Mackabee; costumes by Leon Dobkowski; lighting design by Matthew Richards; and sound design by Nathan Leigh.