John “Couger” Mellencamp is the latest artist to get a jukebox musical featuring his music. Except this time, Mellencamp himself is putting the musical together.
Mellencamp will be heading out for a tour this summer of outdoor venues. The “Dancing Words Tour – The Greatest Hits” will see the 74 year old rocker performing all of his greatest hit songs all the way back to “Jack & Diane” and “Pink Houses”.
While Mellencamp is preparing his idea of a jukebox musical Kathleen Marshall will be putting together a jukebox musical of her own that features Mellencamp’s music. “Small Town” tells the story of “Jack & Diane, two star-crossed lovers refusing to let the world break them or bury their youthful fire in a multigenerational community at a crossroads, making tough choices in a desperate bid for a better life.”
“Small Town” will make its debut at the Ogunquit Playhouse in Maine from October 1 to November 1.
The co-founder of Farm Aid with Willie Nelson and Neil Young, Mellencamp is a member of the Rock and Roll and Songwriters Hall of Fame and a recipient of the Woody Guthrie and John Steinbeck Awards.
John Mellencamp “Dancing Words” tour dates:
July 10 at the Acrisure Amphitheater in Grand Rapids, MI
July 11 at the Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre in Tinley Park, IL
July 13 at the Morton Amphitheater in Kansas City, MO
July 14 at the Mystic Lake Amphitheater in Shakopee, MN
July 16 at the Pine Knob Music Theatre in Clarkston, MI
July 18 at the Ruoff Music Center in Noblesville, IN
July 19 at the Riverbend Music Center in Cincinnati, OH
July 21 at the Blossom Music Center in Cuyahoga Falls, OH
July 24 at the Xfinity Center in Mansfield, MA
July 25 at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, NJ
July 26 at the Northwell at Jones Beach Theater in Wantagh, NY
July 29 at the Jiffy Lube Live in Bristow, VA
July 30 at the Truliant Amphitheater in Charlotte, NC
Aug 1 at the Ameris Bank Amphitheatre in Alpharetta, GA
Aug 3 at the MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre in Tampa, FL
Aug 6 at The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in The Woodlands, TX
Aug 9 at the Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre in Phoenix, AZ
Aug 10 at the Hollywood Bowl in Hollywood, CA
Aug 12 at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, CA