Worlds collided as real-life Rock and Roll Hall of Fame honoree Graham Nash visited Broadway's Almost Famous. Based on the 2000 film by Cameron Crowe, Almost Famous has previously hosted Rock and Roll Hall of Fame musician Joni Mitchell, who attended opening night at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre November 3.
Set in 1973, the story follows a 15-year-old aspiring music journalist who Rolling Stone hires to go on tour with an up-and-coming rock band. Crowe won an Oscar for his semi-autobiographical screenplay chronicling his own time as a young journalist with The Allman Brothers Band and Led Zeppelin.
Nash, known as a member of Crosby, Stills, & Nash (also Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young when the trio played with Neil Young), met the musical cast which stars Solea Pfeiffer as Penny Lane, Chris Wood as guitarist Russell Hammond, Casey Likes as teen journalist William Miller, Tony nominee Anika Larsen as William's mother Elain, Drew Gehling as lead singer Jeff Bebe, and Rob Colletti as journalist Lester Bangs.
Completing the cast are Matt Bittner, Chad Burris, Gerard Canonico, Julia Cassandra, Brandon Contreras, Jakeim Hart, Van Hughes, Jana Djenne Jackson, Katie Ladner, Danny Lindgren, Erica Mansfield, Alisa Melendez, Kevin Perdido, Andrew Poston, Emily Schultheis, Daniel Sovich, Libby Winters, and Matthew C. Yee.
READ: What's Cameron Crowe's Favorite Almost Famous Lyric?
Almost Famous is directed by Tony nominee Jeremy Herrin (Wolf Hall Parts One and Two)and features a book and lyrics by Crowe and music and lyrics by Tony and Pulitzer winner Tom Kitt (Next to Normal). The creative team includes choreographer Sarah O'Gleby, music supervisor Bryan Perri, scenic designer Derek McLane, costume designer David Zinn, lighting designer Natasha Katz, sound designer Peter Hylenski, hair and makeup designer Luc Verschueren, and physical movement coordinator Lorenzo Pisoni. Kitt has penned arrangements and orchestrations, and vocal design will be by AnnMarie Milazzo. The production is cast by Jim Carnahan.
Almost Famous made its world premiere at San Diego's Old Globe Theatre in 2019 with much of the same cast continuing on to the Broadway run.
Graham Nash and Cameron Crowe
Jakeim Hart, Graham Nash, and Cameron Crowe
Graham Nash, Drew Gehling, and Chris Wood
Solea Pfeiffer and Graham Nash
Graham Nash, Cameron Crowe, and company of Almost Famous
