MOVIN’ OUT, the Tony Award-winning new musical conceived, choreographed and directed by Twyla Tharp and based on 24 classic songs by Billy Joel, opens in Nashville at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center on March 15. Tickets are on sale now. This engagement of MOVIN’ OUT will mark the Nashville premiere of the show that critics say revolutionized musical theatre as we know it.
“It’s really amazing to be a part of this show,” Said Laurie Kanyok who plays Brenda in the show. “I’ve always been a big fan of both Billy Joel and Twyla Tharp so it’s kind of freaky being in the show sometimes.”
Told through the choreography of Twyla Tharp and more than two dozen of Billy Joel’s hit songs, MOVIN' OUT is the story of lifelong friends through two turbulent decades that change them and the world around them forever. Songs like “It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me,” “We Didn’t Start the Fire,” and “Pressure” all come together to weave a musical backdrop which beautifully complements Tharp’s innovative choreography. The songs and dance take audiences through a poignant narrative comprised of three main elements: post-World War II idealism, the Vietnam War and its subsequent unrest, and finally, survival.
Many will recognize MOVIN’ OUT’s main characters, as they come straight from Joel’s lyrics. There’s Brenda and Eddie from “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant,” Tony and Sergeant O’Leary from “Movin’ Out,” Judy from “Why, Judy, Why,” and James from “James”—and their story is told completely through dance, with no dialogue whatsoever. MOVIN’ OUT is “a story told without language,” Tharp says. “The movement and the action tell the story—the experience, the emotional resonance, comes from action rather than language.”
“It’s so amazing to feel the energy of the different cities as we tour the show. Opening night in each city is always an amazing feeling,” Kanyok explained. “I’ve never been to Nashville so I’m really looking forward to it.”
Tickets for MOVIN’ OUT are scaled from $21-75, depending upon performance times and seat locations. For tickets, visit the TPAC Box Office (Downtown or at Davis-Kidd Booksellers in Green Hills), online at www.tpac.org, or any Ticketmaster outlet. Tickets may also be purchased by calling Ticketmaster at 615/255-ARTS (2787). For information on offers for groups of 20 or more, call TPAC Group Sales at 615/782-4060.
