Overview
Synopsis
Celebrating the family-friendly songs of the late 1950s and early 1960s, A-Wop Bop A-Loo Bop is a jukebox musical about the power of rock n’ roll. Roberta “Ruby” Lester and her friends have big dreams of rock ‘n roll stardom. However, when the local radio station bans rock ‘n roll from the airwaves, the local kids make a stand to save the music they love. Along the way, friendships are tested as some dreams don’t go as planned. Will Ruby and her friends be able to bring rock back to the radio? Reminiscent of shows like Grease and Hairspray, A-Wop Bop A-Loo Bop features the classic tunes of the 50s and 60s that will have many generations of audience members dancing in their seats! This show is perfect for highlighting young performers. A-Wop Bop A-Loo Bop includes many featured roles and expandable casting, making it a great choice for any school and community productions.
Show Information
- Book
- Mark Brymer , John Jacobson
- Category
- Musical
- Age Guidance
- Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
- Number of Acts
- 2
- Genres
- Comedy, Jukebox/Revue
- Settings
- Multiple Settings
- Time & Place
- St. Louis, Missouri, 1950-1960s
- Cast Size
- large
- Orchestra Size
- Rock Combo
- Dancing
- Heavy
- Licensor
- Music Theatre International
- Ideal For
- Star Vehicle Female, Star Vehicle Male, Large Cast, High School, Community Theatre, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Late Teen, Early Teen, Adult, Young Adult Characters
Context
Plot
Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano, Alto |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Featured |
Either Gender |
Mezzo-Soprano, Alto |
|
|
Featured |
Either Gender |
Mezzo-Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Baritone |
|
|
Radio Station Workers/Associate Producers/Police Officers (2) |
Featured |
Either Gender |
Non-singer |
|
Ensemble |
Female |
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Alto |
|
|
Ensemble |
Male |
Tenor, Baritone |
Songs
ACT ONE
- Sleep Walk - Ruby, Chester, Gary, Judy, Raymond
- Rock Around the Clock - Gary & The Twisters, Ensemble
- Rip It Up - Elvis
- Yakety Yak - The Coasters
- Tutti Frutti (Short) - Little Richard
- I’m Sorry - Ruby, Ensemble
- Rock Around the Clock (Reprise) - Ruby
- Who Put the Bomp? - Chester, Raymond, Josephine, Ensemble
- The Loco-motion - Judy, Mrs. Possibility, Ensemble
- Jailhouse Rock - Gary & The Twisters, Ensemble
- JIm Dandy - Ruby, The Rubettes
- Land of a Thousand Dances - Judy, Ensemble
- Up on the Rood - Gary, Ruby
ACT TWO
- Let’s Rock! - Rick, Ensemble
- Rip It Up (Reprise) - Ruby, Ensemble
- Stupid Cupid (Part 1) - Ensmeble
- Stupid Cupid (Part 2) - Ensemble
- The Judy - Judy, Ensemble
- Runaway - Gary
- Johnny B. Goode - Chuck Berry
- Blue Suede Shoes (Finale Part 1) - Ruby, Gary, Ensemble
- Tutti Frutti (Finale Part 2) - Rick, Ensemble
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
Monologues
Scenes
Key Terms
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Videos
Quizzes
Themes, Symbols & Motifs
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Quote Analysis
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Guide Written By:
Emma Houlahan
Canadian vocalist and actor now based in London.