MEMPHIS, Tenn — The story behind the historic Stax Records in Memphis is set to get the Broadway treatment.
Concord Music Group, the Los Angeles-based company that owns the Stax name and much of its catalog, and Academy Award-nominated and GRAMMY Award-winning producer Stuart Benjamin announced Wednesday they have begun development of a musical production based on the Memphis record label and studio, which is now the Stax Museum of American Soul Music.
The book will be written by Matthew Benjamin.
The Stax Records story began as an old movie theater on East McLemore Avenue in South Memphis and was transformed into a global hit-making machine.
Even during the civil rights struggle and a racial divide in the city in the 1950’s and 60’s, Stax’s integrated artist roster and staff shaped American soul music.
Some of Stax’s recording artists, songwriters and producers include: Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes, David Porter, Booker T. & the MG’s, The Staple Singers, The Bar-Kays, Albert King, Johnnie Taylor, Eddie Floyd, William Bell, David Porter, Steve Cropper, Rufus and Carla Thomas, The Memphis Horns and many others.
David Porter and his music partner, Isaac Hayes, wrote many major hits at Stax such as “Soul Man” and “Hold On, I’m Comin.”
“If there is going to be an authentic story line about Stax, I would l hope that they would talk to the people who were actually there for that to occur,” Porter said.
A Spring 2016 Broadway premiere is targeted.