The Great Change: Turning Cathy into a Lawyer

Last week Huey Lewis made his Broadway debut in Chicago. My sister had once made a comment about being cynical of this kind of "stunt casting," and I can't say that there's no room for cynicism about it generally. But early word indicates that Huey is doing a good job in his first Broadway performances, and I'm really happy for him.

When I'd first heard that he'd been thinking about taking the part, I was a little concerned. Perhaps some of that was because I thought it might be a reach for him. Yes, he sings and he dances around on stage all the time, but that's not necessarily the same as doing it within a production of such structure.

But I think most of my concern was because I didn't want it to detract from his day job. Part of my admiration for Huey Lewis (and the News) is that his art is true self-expression. He doesn't need to turn himself over to someone else to be a vessel for anyone else's artistry - he's fully capable of expressing his own impressive originality. Acting, on the other hand, and particularly acting in such a famous production, seemed the antithesis of all that. And as a fan of his work, I jealously wanted to guard against his further work from being supplanted by anyone else's. I mean, geez... Actor upon actor has taken on that Chicago role. But there's no one else who can replicate Huey Lewis.

But it is selfish, as his fan, to begrudge him the opportunity to stretch - or simply to take on an experience because it is new. As an inadvertent student of his life, I know that it is germane to his personality to want to try new things. Indeed, I've benefited from that reflex. Had it not existed, there might not have been any Huey Lewis and the News in the first place for me to have enjoyed all these years.

And objectively, I think there's something tremendously admirable about it. It's admirable to be willing and able to try out new experiences to enrich one's life. It's especially admirable to be willing and able to take risks to do it.

It's something for me to keep in mind, and I find it personally reassuring to watch him show me that it can be done.

If you'd like to see how he's doing, he performed a number from the musical on the CBS morning show last week, which can be seen here. (Click on the "Huey Lewis Does Broadway" link.)