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Just two weeks after Hallmark Channel star Jonathan Bennett announced his upcoming Broadway debut in “Spamalot,” another “Hallmark hunk” has landed a starring role in a Broadway production.
Corey Cott, whose latest Hallmark movie was the August 2023 rom-com “Making Waves,” and theater vet McKenzie Kurtz will play the leads in “The Heart of Rock and Roll,” inspired by and featuring the songs of iconic 80s band Huey Lewis & the News, according to Broadway World.
The full cast was revealed on January 16, 2024, with Lewis’ enthusiastic blessing. In fact, he called the chemistry between Cott and Kurtz “nothing short of electric” in a statement.
Here’s what you need to know:
‘The Heart of Rock and Roll’ Marks Corey Cott’s Return to Broadway
When “The Heart of Rock and Roll” begins previews on March 29, it will mark Cott’s return to Broadway after several years away. According to Playbill, the actor got his Broadway start in 2012 playing Jack Kelly in Disney’s “Newsies.” In 2015, he played Gaston Lachailles in the revival of “Gigi” and in 2017, he starred as Donny Novitski in the musical “Bandstand.”
Cott left Broadway to work in TV, per IMDb, landing guest roles on multiple series like “Law & Order” and a recurring role in the 2020 FOX series “Filthy Rich,” as well as starring in Hallmark movies like 2022’s “Butlers in Love” opposite Stacy Farber.
But on January 16, he excitedly shared his return to Broadway via Instagram, writing, “You. Me. Huey. Lewis. And the News…ies. This. Spring. James Earl Jones Theatre. An. Unreal. Cast. Hip. To. Be. Square. Come. See. Us. Christian. Bale. Dancing. BROAD. WAY. BABY.”
His co-star, Kurtz, made her Broadway debut in Disney’s “Frozen” and appeared in the show’s first national tour, per Broadway World. She is currently starring as Glinda in the Broadway production of “Wicked.”
Lewis, 73, lost hearing in his left ear in 2017, per Page Six, and now wears hearing aids but no longer performs. Though he told the outlet that his hearing loss sent him into a deep depression, watching Cott and Kurtz bring the new Broadway show to life has been a joy for him.
“The casting process has so far been the most thrilling part of creating this show,” Lewis said in a statement. “It’s all just words and notes on a page until an actor gives it life. I am so grateful that this incredible company, made up of some of the world’s most talented stage performers, will be telling our story and singing our songs.”
Hallmark’s Jonathan Bennett is Also Preparing for His Upcoming Broadway Show
When “The Heart of Rock and Roll” debuts in March at the James Earl Jones Theatre, Cott will be just a short walk from the St. James Theater, where fellow Hallmark star Jonathan Bennett is making his Broadway debut on January 23 in “Spamalot.”
Bennett announced his big news in early January, telling Heavy that appearing on Broadway is “the biggest dream come true of my entire life.” He is scheduled to play Sir Robin in the Monty Python comedy through April 21.
On January 13, Bennett posted an Instagram update from rehearsals and said “words can’t describe” his first week working with the cast.
“It’s been hands down, without question, the most challenging adventure I’ve ever embarked on creatively, emotionally, and physically,” he wrote. “But it’s the TEAM that is the reason I’m able to step in and do this. Every creative and cast member on this production has been the most kind, warm, welcoming human being you could ask for. What a special group of people to get to be surrounded by. I feel like the luckiest man alive. One week down, one more to go!”
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