Buddy The Musical - Duchess Theatre

SYNOPSIS

Buddy the Musical

Buddy the Musical celebrates the life and music of one of rock n’ rolls pioneers – Buddy Holly. Written by Alan Janes and Rob Bettinson, and with musical guidance from Paul McCartney, Buddy the Musical explores the story behind the rise of one of America’s most gifted musicians through to the tragic plane crash that claimed his young life, and the lives of the Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens. With Buddy Holly’s big rock n’ roll classics in attendance, including tracks such as “That’ll be the Day”, “Peggy Sue” and “Oh, Boy!”, plus other hits from the era like Ritchie Valens’ “La Bamba”, Buddy the Musical is an entertainment experience that is simply unforgettable.

Buddy’s Story

Buddy the Musical takes us to 1950s Texas where we are introduced to a 19-year old Buddy Holly – an up and coming singer/songwriter who starts to experiment with a new form of music called ‘rock n’roll’. Together with ‘The Crickets’ – a rock n’ roll duo formed by Buddy’s friends, Joe and Jerry – Buddy Holly struggles to get his songs out against a wall of Country and Western music.

A meeting with record producer Norman Petty gives Buddy and The Crickets their big break. The hits begin to flow, including “Peggy Sue” and “That’ll be the Day”, and some time later Buddy goes solo. His rapid rise to stardom with The Crickets gets him noticed, and he is soon booking gigs across the US – including a headlining act at the 1959 Winter Dance Party 24-day tour in the US Mid-West with the Big Bopper (J.P. Richardson) and Ritchie Valens. Fed up with enduring freezing temperatures on a drafty bus to get them from venue to venue, Buddy and his co-acts hire a plane to fly them from Clear Lake in Iowa to North Dakota following a performance on February 2, 1959. It was Buddy Holly’s first and last flight. Wreckage of the plane was discovered eight miles outside of Clear Lake on ‘the day the music died’.   
 
Buddy in the West End

Buddy the Musical first reached the West End stage on October 12, 1989. It was the brainchild of Englishman, Laurie Mansfield. He wanted to breathe life into Buddy’s story following the 1978 film version of events. Mansfield approached movie producer Greg Smith with the idea of making Buddy’s story into a musical. He in turn passed the baton over to experienced West End producer, Paul Elliot. Elliot ran with the idea, and with the help of singer/songwriter Paul McCartney, developed a format for a musical that would tell Buddy’s story in a truer light than was portrayed in the ’78 film.

Rob Bettinson took on the role of director and actor Paul Hipp was chosen to portray Buddy. The show – known as Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story – opened at the Victoria Palace Theatre in the West End where it remained until 1995. Buddy’s popularity made sure that a further six years of success followed when the show transferred to the Strand Theatre. It eventually closed after 5,000 performances having gained recognition as one of the longest running musicals in West End history.

Since the musical’s conception, touring versions have taken Buddy’s story across the world. Venues in Europe, North America, Asia and Africa hosted a globetrotting tour, while in 2000 a US touring production began that would eventually visit 27 US cities.

In August 2007 Buddy the Musical re-launched in the West End to widespread critical acclaim. Now showing at the Duchess Theatre in Catherine Street, it brings Buddy Holly’s music back to life in a toe-tapping show that is a must-see for kids and adults alike.