Tony Winner Nikki M. James & Broadway Vet Anthony Wayne Perform "Memory Lane," from the "Love & Southern Discomfort" Concept Album

Left to Right: Nikki M. James, Anthony Wayne

Patton Daye Slater Productions announced the release of “Memory Lane,” the second single from the upcoming musical theatre concept album Love & Southern D!scomfort. “Memory Lane” features music and lyrics by Bobby Daye, additional lyrics by Monica L. Patton, and vocals by Tony Award® winner Nikki M. James (The Book of Mormon) and Broadway veteran Anthony Wayne (Tootsie).

Love & Southern D!scomfort, a musical set in present-day Louisiana, weaves a captivating tale about the Dejoies, an old-money family torn apart by greed, addiction, undiagnosed mental illness, and a long-buried family secret.

Milla (Nikki M. James), the Dejoie family’s prodigal daughter returns home to St. Charles Parrish, LA after years of living abroad -- and she is not happy about it. Her lifelong friend, Leland (Anthony Wayne), attempts to lift her spirits. They sing “Memory Lane” and recapture the joys of their childhood.

“Memory Lane is my homage to the HBCU*drum line to remind Milla of the rhythm of the streets she left behind -- The true rhythm of her heart,” composer/lyricist Bobby Daye said.

“Memory Lane” will debut during a virtual concert and afterparty produced by BHMG Life and Rhythm and Soul Radio on Friday, November 6, 2020. The event, sponsored in part by Love & Southern D!scomfort, is scheduled from 9:00 pm to 12 midnight. The concert and afterparty are accessible through www.rhythmandsoulradio.com.

Now on sale, “Memory Lane” is available wherever digital music is sold and at the Love & Southern D!scomfort website, www.lasdmusical.com.

                                           

Who’s Who

MONICA L. PATTON (Lyrics)

Ms. Patton is the author of the musical drama Love & Southern D!scomfort (formerly known as “The Inheritance: Love, Drugs & Southern Discomfort”). She toured with The Book of Mormon Second National Tour since its inception in 2012 (She was the only cast member to be in the company from day one until it closed in 2020). She has worked with such luminaries as Jesse Norman, Diahann Carroll, and Freda Payne. She covered Eartha Kitt as the Fairy Godmother in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella and sang opposite Jon Secada as the Narrator in the National Tour of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Her other credits include; Broadway: Finian’s Rainbow, Abby’s Song, and Ragtime. Off-Broadway: Little Ham. National Tours: Disney’s The Lion King, Annie 30th Anniversary.

 

BOBBY DAYE (Music and Lyrics)

Mr. Daye wrote the music and lyrics for and is a producer of, Love & Southern D!scomfort. Bobby has a career that has crossed into stage, film, television. and radio. He most recently toured with Aladdin. His Broadway credits include Shrek the Musical, The Color Purple, The Lion King, Smokey Joe’s Cafe, Dreamgirls, The Wiz, and The Book of Mormon. He is also a recipient of an Outstanding Individual Performance Award for his work in the 2010 NYMF production of The Great Unknown. As a songwriter, he penned the theme song to the ABC-TV soap “Loving,” which was performed by Johnny Mathis. He was a 9-time male vocalist winner on “Ed McMahon’s Star Search” and has appeared on television in “Empire.” “Chicago PD,” “Law and Order,” and “ED” (among others).

NIKKI M. JAMES (Vocals)

Nikki M James most famously originated the role of Nabalungi in the Broadway hit musical, The Book of Mormon, for which she won the Tony for Best Featured Actress in Musical. Favorite theater credits include: Tony Kushner’s A Bright Room Called Day (The Public Theater), Broadway productions of Les Misérables, All Shook Up and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin (Encores!), Romeo & Juliet, Caesar & Cleopatra alongside Christopher Plummer (Stratford Theater), The Wiz (La Jolla Playhouse), Julius Caesar, Twelfth Night (Shakespeare in the Park), Bernarda Alba (Lincoln Center), and Preludes (LCT3). Recent notable work in television includes a starring role in “Proven Innocent” for FOX and CBS’s quirky series “Braindead.” She resides in New York City with her husband and holds a BFA in Drama from NYU. She is a sustaining member of her local public radio station. @nikkimjames

 

ANTHONY WAYNE (Vocals)

A man of many sides as an actor, producer, and creator, Anthony Wayne has been blessed to do what he’s been born to do. Originally from Norfolk, Virginia, Mr. Wayne has been seen on Broadway in Anything Goes, Once On This Island, Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert, Pippin, and Tootsie - The Musical. His touring credits include A Chorus Line as Richie, The Color Purple, and Fame-The Musical as Tyrone Jackson. Currently, he is working on bringing his show Mighty Real: A Fabulous Sylvester Musical to Broadway. In Mighty Real, Mr. Wayne stars as the Disco Legend SYLVESTER and has co-written the show with his creative partner, Kendrell Bowman. With Bowman, together they have created their own company called ANTHONYKEN, LLC. which has spawned their own shows which include An Evening With Phyllis Hyman, A Soulful Christmas and, recently, Kings & Queens Of Soul. Mr. Wayne resides in New York City and contributes his time to inspiring youth and those in need to find the greatness within themselves to be great daily. He is the Founder of the non-profit organization “Black Broadway Men” which galvanizes black men of the Broadway theatre community to create unity within each other, find strength for each other and embrace the legacy from each other; mentoring the way for young black men to come.  

Instagram/Twitter: @MRAWAYNE / Website: www.AWAYNE.com

BLACK BROADWAY MEN INFO: @BLACKBROADWAYMEN / Website: www.BlackBroadwayMen.org

ABOUT LOVE & SOUTHERN D!SCOMFORT

With a book and lyrics by Monica L. Patton, music and lyrics by Bobby Daye, Love & Southern D!scomfort is a beautiful, timeless story, set in the sultry south, about family dysfunction, skeletons in closets, and ultimately, understanding, love, forgiveness, and redemption. Tony Award-winning producer Tamara Tunie has signed on to direct the project. Prolific and Tony-winning producer Ken Davenport serves as the musical’s executive producer. Patton Daye Slater Productions plans a New York showcase of the musical in 2021.

 

*Historically Black Colleges & Universities

 

 

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