Performances run January 20 through March 1, 2013
Backbeat, a new musical about the early years of the Beatles, is now in previews at the Ahmanson Theatre ahead of Wednesday’s opening night. The show will run until March 1st.
The show features many of the rock ‘n’ roll classics that the Beatles cut their teeth on – Money, Long Tall Sally, Twist and Shout, Good Golly Miss Molly, Please Mr. Postman, Rock ‘n’ Roll Music and more.
Set in 1960, Backbeat introduces John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Pete Best (the man Ringo Starr replaced behind the drums and Stuart Sutcliffe (the band’s original bassist) as they embark on their journey from the docks of Liverpool to the red light district of Hamburg. There they worked in the clubs of the tawdry Reeperbahn, a street in the St. Pauli neighborhood, performing rock ‘n’ roll covers night after night, all the while honing what would become the Beatles’ sound.
Backbeat” is also the compelling story of Sutcliffe, who falls in love with the striking German photographer Astrid Kirchherr, and must choose between being with her and resuming his painting, or staying with his best friend, John Lennon, and playing in the band. This triangular relationship became an intrinsic part of the Beatles story, and the decisions made and the music played put them on an unstoppable trajectory onto the world stage.
The cast features Nick Blood (Sutcliffe), Leanne Best (Astrid Kirchherr), Andrew Knott (Lennon), Oliver Bennett (Best), Daniel Healy (McCartney) and Daniel Westwick (Harrison).
The Ahmanson Theatre is located at 601 West Temple Street in downtown LA. For tickets visit: www.centertheatregroup.org
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