Sue Frost of Old Lyme left a 20-year career as associate producer at Goodspeed Musicals in East Haddam to form her own production company-Junkyard Dog Productions-in order to develop and produce new musicals. On a fast-track to the epicenter of the theater world, Memphis, her first Broadway show, opened this past October at New York's historic Shubert Theatre.The high-energy show has a brand new rock 'n' roll score with music by David Bryan, the keyboardist for Bon Jovi, and lyrics by Bryan and Joe Pietro-best known for

The high-energy show has a brand new rock 'n' roll score with music by David Bryan, the keyboardist for Bon Jovi, and lyrics by Bryan and Joe Pietro-best known for I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change.

Memphis is the story of a young renegade white DJ named Huey Calhoun, who broke both barriers and hearts with his passion for black music and a beautiful and talented black singer in the segregated South of the 1950s.Frost and Randy Adams, Frost's partner in Junkyard Dog Productions, came onboard as the show's co-producers-after it played at several regional theaters-with a new creative team, director, and choreographer. It enjoyed two short but award-winning runs: in 2008 at San Diego's La Jolla Playhouse and in early 2009 at Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre.

Frost and Randy Adams, Frost's partner in Junkyard Dog Productions, came onboard as the show's co-producers-after it played at several regional theaters-with a new creative team, director, and choreographer. It enjoyed two short but award-winning runs: in 2008 at San Diego's La Jolla Playhouse and in early 2009 at Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre.In the few months it's been on Broadway,

In the few months it's been on Broadway, Memphis has been praised by critics and is under consideration for 2010 Tony Award nominations (to be announced May 4).The following is an exclusive Times interview with Sue Frost about

The following is an exclusive Times interview with Sue Frost about Memphis and her new production company.

Q. What does being a producer of a show of this magnitude involve?

A. We were responsible for raising all the money to get the show opened and putting the creative team together-basically kind of a CEO of the commercial entity, but also wearing a creative hat as well as a business hat. Now that it's opened, our primary responsibility is keeping an eye on it, and supervising marketing and advertising.

Q. What attracts you most about this show? The message? The music? The choreography? It seems to have a great balance of pure entertainment and a very serious message-without sugarcoating it.

A. I always want anything I'm involved in to resonate in some shape or form. Having the ability to bring that many people together is a great opportunity to educate, as well as entertain. We agreed going forward that there was a message and an important story to be told. My daughter is 15 and when she first saw the show, she said, "Mom, I've read about this, but this makes it real."

Q. How are audiences responding to Memphis?

A. People are emotionally engaged by it and very often changed by the story. In the world we live in now, it's too easy to forget where we came from, and so important to get that out. So many people who grew up in the '50s come up to me, whether responding to the story or the music, it really hits them. People personalize the show.

Q. It's very fast moving with almost instantaneous scene changes. Why is that?

A. We wanted the transitions to be seamless. We didn't want to stop for scenery changes-we wanted the physical production to augment and not overwhelm the show [in order to] keep the story and energy going.

Q. What are some of your biggest challenges producing this musical?

A. We've got to sell 12,000 seats a week and we don't have big names and it's not based on a famous book.

Q. Can you comment on the Shubert Theatre as a venue?

A. It's gorgeous. Just amazing. It's such a dream for us, such a thrill to get this jewel in the crown in such a fabulous location.

Q. You were an associate producer at Goodspeed for 20 years and have helped bring many musicals to the stage-how many?

A. I was involved in producing over 50 new musicals-and a total of about 120 shows.

Q. Why did you make the break after so many years at Goodspeed to go out on your own-it was a pretty risky move, no?

A. Yes, it was very scary. It took me awhile to get up the nerve to do it. But I decided if I didn't do it, I would regret it for the rest of my life. It was a big leap. I'm still leaping.

Q. How do you manage being in both New York and Old Lyme?

A. My partner has a place in New York I can use-and I stay with a friend sometimes. They call me the bag lady. I try to balance what's [happening] at home. My daughter is a sophomore at The Williams School [in New London]. My husband works in Glastonbury. Everyone has to sacrifice. I couldn't have done it if everyone didn't support me, if I was getting resistance at home.

Q. If Memphis stays on Broadway for a long time, will you have to be in New York as much? Will you take on other projects?

A. As it continues on, there's a sort of a rhythm to it. We'll always be involved in a supervisory position. This show is our primary focus throughout this season. But by the end of the year I think we'll have something new in the pipeline."Memphis" is at the Shubert Theatre, 225 W. 44th Street, New York. To purchase tickets, visit www.Telecharge.com or call 212-239-6200.

"Memphis" is at the Shubert Theatre, 225 W. 44th Street, New York. To purchase tickets, visit www.Telecharge.com or call 212-239-6200.