Stax Records, the Memphis soul label that came to rise amid the civil rights era distributing hits from legendary artists such as Otis Redding, Booker T. & the MGs, Isaac Hayes, Carla Thomas and Steve Cropper, among many others, will be the inspiration for a Broadway Musical production. Billboard is reporting that Academy Award-nominated and Grammy-winning producer Stuart Benjamin, alongside Concord Music Group, are developing a musical production based on the dramatic story of the iconic Stax record label. The story will be written by Matthew Benjamin, with Spring 2016 as the targeted date for it’s Broadway Debut.

The label featured a well integrated staff and artist roster, and a house band that would soon become legendary, establishing the careers of many talented musicians during one of the country’s most racially divided era. Stax Records launched a steady stream of hits that shaped soul music, leaving a permanent impression on America’s culture and history.

Stuart Benjamin co-founded New Visions Entertainment, which produced such films as Against All Odds, La Bamba, Everybody’s All American, and the Oscar-winning short film Teenage Father.  He has been involved in a number of platinum-selling soundtracks,  including the Grammy-winning soundtrack for Ray, the Ray Charles biopic in which he was heavily involved in as a personal friend of the R&B innovator.

– Samantha M. Lopez