Jukebox Hero

It is only fitting that the band who created the hit song Jukebox Hero should have a jukebox musical.  Julia and I went to the world-wide premier tonight.

Guitarist Mick Jones and singer Lou Gramm were the songwriting team that powered Foreigner’s extensive classic rock catalogue.  Those songs were re-purposed and crafted into a classic musical storyline by veteran writers  Dick Clement and Ian la Frenais.

The show was supposed to start at 8:00 but it took until 8:17 for one of the producers, Jeff Parry, to come out and introduce the show. This project has been years in the making and part of its origin story includes a fortuitous meeting in Dawson Creek. You can't make this stuff up.

Program Cover

The storyline does a good job of servicing the songs and creating enough drama to set up chilling moments as the story unfolds. A few lyric changes were required but the hits remain intact and powerful. The end of the first act features the power ballad "I Want to Know What Love Is" - Julia squeezed my hand. That is the power of great music.

Set

When the story reaches the benefit concert scene in the second act, the show really soars. Not unlike the final surge of a live Foreigner show. Starting with a hand clapping version of Dirty White Boy, then Urgent, Hot Blooded and then a little breather with Waiting for a Girl Like You which sets up the finale with Juke Box Hero and Feels Like the First Time.

Curtain Call

It is fantastic to get an early look at a made in Canada musical with a Canadian cast. This is a world class show. How do I know? Julia loved it!