Anybody seen 'Memphis' yet?

[BigMamaSangTenor]

I may be going to see this within the upcoming month on B-Way. Are any of you familiar with the music/production? How was your experience? On a secondary note, I have also heard that Adam Pascal may be touring with the show in the case that it is a success...however, this may also be complete hogwash. But I thought I'd ask anyhow!

[Broadway Joe]

I didn't really care for it but I didn't hate it like the majority do on here.

[qolbinau]

Agree with Broadway Joe. Think I would have really enjoyed it with Pascal though (I had two understudies for Chad both times), I would go back to see him..

[BigMamaSangTenor]

Of what I've heard of the music(which admittedly isn't all that much) I actually enjoyed it...? The plot seems a little overdone but I am huge Pascal fan, so I figure it's worth a viewing, while I'm up there anyway. Thanks both of you!

[luvtheEmcee]

I saw the show when it first opened, and it didn't do much for me, but I had fun while I was there and it was innocuous and was glad I saw it. I never really thought I'd have occasion to go back until I found out Adam would be stepping in as Huey. I've been a huge fan of Adam's since I was a kid, and went back to the show about six weeks into his run. He is tremendously good -- and if I didn't know any better, I'd have thought the part was written for him. It's a playful, goofy, sweet performance that's unlike anything I've seen him do before, and he knocks the score out of the park. His performance really changed the whole experience of the show for me, and I've honestly come to genuinely like it a lot. I don't live in New York anymore, but I try to make it to the Shubert to see him whenever I am back East. I've seen him play Huey a handful of times now, and he just keeps getting better and better. I don't know anything about the possibility that he'll tour, but he's set to be with the Broadway production at least through October. If you're a fan, I definitely say go see it.

[bwayphreak234]

I watched it on Netflix and did not care for it. Chad Kimball was one of my main problems with the show. I am looking forward to seeing the tour without him though. i do like some of the music.

[BigMamaSangTenor]

I will most definitely have to check it out then, thanks for the recco!

[Mr Roxy]

I saw it when many on the board were comparing it to a dog turd.Than the reviews came out. Found it very enjoyable.

[BigMamaSangTenor]

WHAT? Memphis is on Netflix?! I have no life, all I do is watch old episodes of How I Met Your Mother on there, all the while it was in the company of a production I was planning to see. Well, damn it, I fail. And I'm hoping with Adam in lead it'll be better than it was with Kimball although I've always liked him as an actor, at least.

[BigMamaSangTenor]

Haha, I tend to be the same when it comes to musicals. Can't bring myself to love the raved, can't bring myself to hate the ones I know are ruptured cow pies but am attached to nonetheless.

[JamesBroadwayWiner]

I saw it on tour, and LOVED IT!!!!! It is a deep show that envokes emotion, but just as equally it is a fun, splashy musical! Deffinatley go see it!

[californiasnow]

I saw it on Netflix and then saw the tour. It's not a great show by any means (some of the lyrics are reallllly bad), but it's definitely entertaining. Speaking to the OP's post, I doubt Adam will tour with it, since the tour has already been up and running for a year and has played a lot of the bigger markets already. Having said that, Bryan Fenkart (who went on for Chad over 200 times) was fantastic as Huey, so if you see the tour he will not disappoint.

[Bwaydide92]

I also watched it on Netflix and found it painful to watch. I don't know if it's because I started to hate Chad Kimball about five minutes in, but I had to force myself to finish it. I haven't seen Pascal or much of what he's done with the role. I hope it's not like Kimball's Huey. The way he portrayed it was like he was calling Southerners retards (I know that's offensive to say, and that's how he made me feel. Offended. And I'm not Southern or White). He may have made me hate the rest of the show, but I just didn't find the story that compelling. I personally wouldn't waste money on it.

[luvtheEmcee]

Adam's performance completely eradicates all of that stuff Chad was doing that made Huey seem a bit, well, special needs. Which was never a choice I really understood anyway, so I was glad to see Adam go his own way with the part.

[Bwaydide92]

I think what bugged me most about his performance was that he seemed to be making fun of special needs people. Like he was saying "Hey look I'm retarded". It WASN'T like say Leonardo DiCaprio in What's Eating Gilbert Grape where that's just a part of the character. All of Kimball's choices seemed to be about him not be fully there mentally. If he wanted to play it special needs, he did it wrong.

[dramamama611]

Yet? It's almost 3 years running!


I thought it was a waste of time. One of those shows that WANTED to be important, but really had nothing knew to say. I loathed Chad Kimball (but disagree he was making fun of anyone). His choice made absolutely NO sense.

I have, indeed, heard that Pascal is a huge improvement, but the rest of the show is too mediocre to even consider sitting through again.

[MotorTink]

The show itself was enjoyable and fun but nothing "spectacular". However, Pascal's performance made it fantastic (I had an u/s for Montego but she was excellent).

[D2]

^^What Tink said.^^

ETA: "nothing knew to say."

Really?

[macnyc]

My taste is probably more middle of the road than that of most people here. I really enjoyed Memphis. I saw it a couple of months ago with Pascal's understudy, Kevin Massey, in the lead and I thought he was fantastic. The dancing is phenomenal, the staging beautiful, and I liked the setting a lot. Most of the songs are enjoyable and very well sung, and I thought it was a perfectly fine way to spend two and a half hours.

[Blockhead24]

I love Kevin's Huey-- by far my favorite in the role. I saw him with Dan'yelle and they were fabulous.

[macnyc]

^^^ That's good to know. When we entered the theater, I was sad at first to be missing Pascal's performance. But it shows you how deep the talent on Broadway is when an understudy is so excellent.

[kikki327]

http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/theater/fresh_blood_on_broadway_l2T31cTvfz0mygZG9drNCL

‘Memphis” is a textbook example of how a new lead’s drastically different take on a part can affect a partner.

The Tony-nominated Chad Kimball had a sneaky charm as Huey Calhoun, making that disc jockey a bit of a colorful hustler.

Adam Pascal — Roger, the romantic, HIV-positive guitarist in the original “Rent” — plays Huey like an overgrown eager beaver, goofily enthusiastic about the R&B music he spins on the radio.

As a consequence, Huey has zero sexual zing with Montego Glover’s Felicia, the aspiring singer. Maybe to compensate, Glover now overacts broadly, a caricature of the nuanced performer she was in the early days.

On the plus side, though, Pascal sings beautifully — his incredible rendition of “Memphis Lives in Me” is a real tear-jerker.

Verdict: Those who’ve seen “Memphis” before may find a return trip worthwhile. Newbies will enjoy the singing and dancing, still tight and energetic 2 1/2 years after opening night.

[Mister Matt]

Saw the tour and really enjoyed it. Not the greatest thing I've ever seen, but I certainly didn't think it was worthy of the constant derision that gets thrown about around here whenever the title comes up for discussion. It's a solid, conventional book musical. It may not be revelatory, but I found it entertaining and could easily see why people enjoy it and I find myself revisiting the cast recording often.

[jpbran]

The thread title makes me laugh, considering it's played Broadway 2-3 years, had a national tour, played movie theaters, is on disc/streaming, (inexplicably) won the Tony AND this is a Broadway site.

[BigMamaSangTenor]

Haha, I meant with Pascal as Huey, not the actual show. But I should have specified.

[BigMamaSangTenor]

I meant with Pascal as lead. However, I have heard so many mixed reviews of whether or not he improved it. I wasn't actually very interested in it when it debuted, not to mention when I saw the reviews bashing Kimball's performance...