Matt Donnelly & Jamelle Dolphin Andy Cooper
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Jamelle Dolphin & Lou Spisto present book by music & Lyrics by Matt Donnelly Andy Cooper & Jamelle Dolphin with Stu James Eric B. Anthony Wilkie Ferguson III Jenna Gillespie Thomas Hobson Frank Lawson Matt Magnusson Ashley Lynette Brown, Caitlin Gallogly, Franklin Grace, Gabi Hankins, Dylan Hoffinger, Alfred Jackson, Bren Thor Johnson, Ryan Murray, Joel: Rene,- Tyler Ruebensaal, Matthew Lewis Sims, Jr., Sha’Leah Nikole Stubblefield, Katherine Washington, Emily Zetterberg scenic design costume design lighting design sound design Bruce Goodrich Mylette Nora Lap Chi Chu Diablo Sound hair & wig design arrangements orchestrations & additional arrangements Aishah Williams Kevin Toney John Gentry Tennyson Andrae Alexander casting production stage manager press representative general managment & marketing Michael Donovan, CSA Ronn Goswick Lucy Pollak Theatre Planners choreography by Cassie Crump music director Abdul Hamid Royal This theatre operates under an directedagreement by with Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of ProfessionalDenise ActorsDows ande Stage Managers. LOVIN’ JOHN AND DOLPHIN’S OF HOLLYWOOD Well before Motown ever existed, John Dolphin was a force in the music business: creating careers and expanding markets. “Lovin’ John” as he was known since childhood, was the little- known mogul who helped change the careers of a generation of recording artists, how their records were marketed, and the color of the audience who bought them. Not allowed to secure a lease in Hollywood, Record Shop (Inside) John Dolphin opened his first record shop on Central Avenue in 1948 and audaciously named it Dolphin’s of Hollywood. An almost instant success, the shop moved to a much larger location at the corner of Central and Vernon in 1950 and soon became one of the most well-known and successful record shops in the country. The shop was the first business to be open 24 hours, seven days a week and the first to offer “buy one get one free” for the purchase of any record in the store. Not content to simply sell records, the shop aired live broadcasts that featured Dolphin and his crew of the most popular DJ’s in LA such as Hunter Hancock and newcomers that grew to fame like Dick “Huggy Boy” Hugg and Charles Trammel. The Dolphin’s daily broadcast became the most popular black radio show in Los Angeles. Whether on-air or off, DJ’s would spin records in the big storefront window attracting large crowds that spilled from inside the store onto the sidewalk and into the street. The biggest national recording artists appeared at the store often, performing live on-air interviews, greeting fans, and signing autographs. If you wanted to build a fan base and create a market on the West Coast you had to first make a stop at Dolphin’s. From Billie Holiday to Ella Fitzgerald; to the King himself, Elvis Presley, they all came to Dolphin’s of Hollywood. John Dolphin had an innate sense of when to play an artist, when to promote, and what the public would be looking for next. On his broadcast, Huggy Boy was the first to play the Penguins “Earth Angel” on-air, launching it to the top of the charts and into the history books. John’s close friend, Sam Cooke had his first non-gospel record “You Send Me” “break” on air from Dolphin’s. This song went on to define the genius of this artist and an entire genre of music for generations to come. With a recording studio at the back of his shop, Dolphin would allow local unknowns and aspiring talent from the region to write and record songs in the hope that he would discover a gem. As he would say: “We’ll record you today, and have you a hit by tonight.” Between 1948 and 1958 Dolphin was a prolific record producer and his five labels; Recorded In Hollywood, Money Records, Cash Records, Lucky Records, and Ball records established many well-known R&B and Rock and Roll artists. Jesse Belvin, Scatman Crothers, Hollywood Flames, Chuck Higgins, Percy Mayfield, Little Ceasar, Pee Wee Crayton, Red Callendar, and Bobby Day were among those whose careers were launched and nurtured by John Dolphin. John Dolphin may have created the concept of crossover music that still exists today. He knew white teenagers loved R&B as much as black kids, so he went on the white radio station KRKD playing a black music format, to promote his John & Ruth Dolphin black artists to a white market. As a result, white kids began flocking to his shop in predominantly black South Central. Dolphin’s of Hollywood and Central Ave became a racially integrated place during a time of segregation. The shop and it’s DJs hosted parties where blacks, whites, Asians and Latinos who would dance and party together until well after dark, or until the cops came and shut them down. The police force, under the leadership of Chief William Parker, did not support the integration happening at Dolphin’s and throughout Central Avenue. In order to stop the “mixing of the races” they began harassing black businesses and their black customers. It didn’t take much for John Dolphin to wind up in jail. And for the white patrons, they the Police used scare tactics aimed at keeping them out of South Central. This continued harassment of his shop, his customers, and his community, lead to Dolphin himself organizing and leading a protest and march against the LAPD. John Dolphin had a real influence on music and the business of music during an incredible time in history that took us from Swing and Jazz, to Doo-Wop and R&B, and finally to Rock’ n’ Roll. After John’s death in 1958 a great energy in the most exciting early years of the pop music business was gone, but thanks to his wife Ruth, the shop itself remained a force for another 31 years. New generations of stars, including the likes of Major Lance, Betty Swan, Ike and Tina Turner and The Jackson 5, made their way to Dolphin’s of Hollywood until, in 1989, its doors closed for good. For more information about the Dolphin family and the show itself, please visit RecordedInHollywood.com. TOP PHOTO: Sam Cooke TOP PHOTO: John Dolphin Huggy Boy and BillyWard BOTTOM: John Dolphin, Earl Bostic, BOTTOM: John Dolphin and Lionel Hampton John Dolphin & Billie Holiday Joe Houston, Huggy Boy THE CAST (in order of appearance) Bandleader, Hollywood Flames, Preacher…………….Matthew Sims, Jr. John Dolphin……………………………….………………………...Stu James Foxy Lady, Clementine, Cooper Sisters……..…...Katherine Washington Woman In Club, Darla Summer……………………………Caitlin Gallogly Cigarette Girl, Beatrice, Cooper Sisters, Seductress…...……..Joël René Doorman, Vernon Anders, Hollywood Flames………......Franklin Grace Mr. Langley, Little Joey, Red Coats/Longboards……....Dylan Hoffinger Alma, Cooper Sisters………………………..Sha’Leah Nikole Stubblefield Mr. Bruce, Judge, Red Coats/Longboards…………..Bren Thor Johnson Jesse Belvin……………………………….…………………Wilkie Ferguson III Leon Washington, Hollywood Flames....……………….…...Frank Lawson Sam Cooke………………………………..………………….Thomas Hobson Roy, Monroe Tucker, Hollywood Flames…………...……..Alfred Jackson Ruth Dolphin…………………………………………….……..Jenna Gillespie Officer Teague, Red Coats/Longboards…………………....Ryan Murray Percy Ivy………………………………….…………………….Eric B. Anthony Cooper Sisters, Seductress, Ms. Desiree……….....Ashley Lynette Brown Dina Summer………………………………………..……………Gabi Hankins Sally………………………….………………………………...Emily Zetterberg Officer Bishop, Red Coats/Longboards....……………Tyler Ruebensaal Huggy Boy………………………....………………………..Matt Magnusson This performance will have one 15 minute intermission. The use of any recording device, either audio or visual, and the taking of photographs, either with or without flash, is strictly prohibited. The actors and stage managers employed in this production are members of the Actors Equity Musical Numbers Act One 1948-1954 Ain’t We Havin’ A Time - Band Leader, John, Ensemble Open Up - John Nature Boy - Jesse Jesus Gave Me Water - Sam Cooke and Ensemble Baby You Got The Job - John & Ruth By The Light Of The Silvery Moon - Percy All I Want In A Man - Ruth Moonlight Lane - The Coopers Sixty Minute Man - The Hollywood Flames, Percy, Sally, Roy, Summer Sisters, Little Joey, Ensemble Wheel Of Fortune - The Hollywood Flames I’ll Put You On The Radio - Huggy, John & Ensemble I’ll Come Running Back to You – Sam Cooke Can You Help Me Out - Clementine, John & The Seductresses Raise My Cup - John, Ruth, Huggy, Jesse, Leon & Ensemble Act Two 1954-1958 Lovin’ John - Vernon, Monroe & Ensemble Earth Angel - Jesse Man Of The Hour - Percy, Sam & Female Ensemble Please Come Home - John, Ruth & Hollywood Flames I Won’t Walk Away - John Don’t Stop Now - John, Ruth, Huggy, Sam, Jesse, Leon & Ensemble Buzz, Buzz, Buzz - The Hollywood Flames Hope In Your Hands – The Red Coats California – The Longboards Lovin’ John (Reprise) - Ruth Let The Good Times Roll - Sam, John, Jess & Company The Band Conductor/Keyboard 1 ... Abdul Hamid Royal Keyboard 2 ... John Gentry Tennyson Guitar ... Darrell Crooks Bass ... Ian Martin Drums ... Land Richards Percussion ... Vanessa Brown Copyist and Keyboard Programmer ... Juan A. Matos The Cast STU JAMES ERIC B. ANTHONY WILKIE FERGUSON III JENNA GILLESPIE THOMAS HOBSON FRANK LAWSON MATT MAGNUSSON ASHLEY LYNETTE CAITLIN GALLOGLY FRANKLIN GRACE GABI HANKINS DYLAN HOFFINGER BROWN ALFRED JACKSON BREN THOR JOHNSON RYAN MURRAY TYLER RUEBENSAAL JOËL RENÉ MATTHEW SIMS, JR. SHA’LEAH NIKOLE KATHERINE WASHINGTON EMILY ZETTERBERG STUBBLEFIELD WILKIE FERGUSON III (Jesse Belvin) The Cast Wilkie is thrilled to be making his Kirk Douglas Theatre debut! Broadway: The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess (Original STU JAMES (John Dolphin) Stu James Broadway Cast), Motown the Musical is a native of Atlanta and a graduate of (Original Broadway Cast), Wonderland Morehouse College (B. A. in Finance). (Original Broadway Cast) Tours: In He performed as Harpo in Oprah The Heights (1st Nat’l Tour), Hairspray Winfrey’s The Color Purple, (NAACP (1st Nat’l Tour), Dreamgirls. Pasadena Theatre Award Nom. & Black Theatre Playhouse World Premieres: Sister Act, Alliance Award Nom.).