THE FRIDAY FIVE: Lauren Frances Johnson from STC'S MEMPHIS

Inspired by BroadwayWorld.com's Friday Six, welcome to BroadwayWorld Nashville's latest installment of The Friday Five: five questions designed to help you learn more about the talented people you'll find onstage throughout the Volunteer state. This week the spotlight shines on Lauren Frances Johnson, who has made her mark in Music City, performing on stages all over town and sharing the remarkable talents that have won her legions of followers. Charming and gorgeous, she has stage presence to spare and tonight, as she opens as Felicia Farrell in Street Theatre Company's production of Memphis the Musical, she's destined to command the stage like nobody's business!

Memphis the Musical is a lot like Memphis, the city: You either love it or you hate it. But if you let its sincerely heartfelt story and evocatively written music wend its way into your heart, you'll find your soul. It's easy to see why Memphis won the 2010 Tony Award for Best Musical, its spirit is infectious, its music glorious and, we suspect, its cast is nothing short of wondrous, starring some of Nashville's starriest talents: Curtis Reed, Bakari King, DeVon Buchanan, Brian Best, Leon Blandon, Andrew Hosale, Audrey Johnson, Scott Stewart, Meggan Utech, Olivia Broome, Tyler Evick, Jens Jacobson, Brooke Leigh Davis, Tyler Samuel, Jenn Jackson, Phillip Miller, David Ridley, Taylor Chew, Abigail Davis Haggard, Dezziree Harrell, Tramaine Robinson, and Santayana Harris.

The show's homage to Memphis music and "the Memphis Sound" that was created by the talented and inventive individuals who founded the city's recording industry is evocative, perfectly capturing the rhythm of that river city that continues to do battle with the racism and segregation that forms the core of Memphis' plot.

With a book and lyrics by Joe DiPietro and music and lyrics by David Bryan (based upon a concept by George W. George), Memphis is set squarely amid the horrifying realities of the segregated South in the mid-1950s - the scars of which are still evident on the heart of the Bluff City - telling the story of a quirky and "unique" skinny white boy named Huey Calhoun (played at STC by Curtis Reed) who loves rhythm and blues, aka "race music," the music of lower Beale. One night he summons up the courage to cross the color line and enter one of Beale Street's most intriguing dives - Delray's - when he hears the electrifying sounds of the music that emanates from the gorgeous frame of the "special" Felicia Farrell (the aforementioned Lauren Frances Johnson).

Memphis the Musical is about every "musician, artist, promoter or DJ who dares to make a stand," whether that stand is for "the struggle to gain commercial respect and compensation for one's craft...despite the evolution of technology and the seemingly unfettered access to the miracle of music," according to Johnson. "Memphis the Musical tells the story of love through music during a time that seemed simpler yet was sordid with complications of the 1950s racial climate in segregated Memphis."

Cathy Street, STC's founder and artistic director, directs the Tony-winning musical. Street said she chose the racially-charged Memphis the Musical for STC's stage, believing that "the [racial] issues that have been affecting us lately maybe show us that society hasn't come as far as we thought," and productions like this one "help inform and change where we go moving forward."

Performances are March 13-29, with shows Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 5 p.m. Street Theatre Company is now in residence at Bailey STEM Magnet Middle School, 2000 Greenwood Ave, Nashville.

Talking about her character, Felicia Farrell, Johnson explained "I love that Felicia is a trailblazer for her time. She is saucy, fun, and feisty but fearfully aware that in her day she has to be safe to reach success. In the segregated world she lives in, Felicia, in truth, is both a bold dreamer and a realist. Like many artists, she struggles with the part of her that dares to dream of stardom versus the part of her that knows she has to make personal sacrifices.

But what I love most is that Felicia is a survivor. Surviving mental, verbal and physical attacks from racist abusers and her own family, she has to choose between her art and Huey while fighting for her life. Huey, this crazy fool of a white DJ, daring enough to love her in public but whose presence threatens her own survival yields a songstress with unintentional social impact such as the likes of Aretha Franklin, Lena Horne, Tina Turner, Diana Ross, Billie Dee, and so many others that worked, lived, and loved in similarly tumultuous times. I thank Felicia for representing their courage to survive and live out their particular purpose for the world to see."

So, now that you've learned about the fictional Felicia Farrell, take some time to get to know the very real and altogether amazing Lauren Frances Johnson, via The Friday Five... But, be forewarned: You're gonna fall in love with her - you won't be able to help yourself!

What was your first "live onstage" taste of theater? In the fifth grade at O.B. Gates Elementary in Richmond, Virginia, I starred in my school musical. I was the only black lead as I recall: I played a Minnie Pearl character. I don't remember the title of the show but, why the hell would I be playing Minnie Pearl? #blackgirltheatreproblems #thankful

The first live show I saw was Phantom of the Opera at the Fox Theatre in downtown Atlanta. My father took my brother and me. I could've gone to heaven then.

What is your favorite pre-show ritual? Being really quiet. Listening to music that puts me in the mindset of the show/character. Praying with my cast.

What's your most memorable "the show must go on" moment? I can't choose between two: While doing Crowns in Atlanta - one of our cast members just plain old stopped showing up to rehearsal and we had to recast her role the week of the show. My director flew the actor down from California. We all pitched in, helped her get up to speed, but then her uncle died right after we opened. It was ridiculously tough. But we had a marvelous time on stage. The fill-in actor was the Popeye's Fried Chicken lady - Deidre Henry. I love her to this day for saving us!

Doing an anti-bullying tour, my cast and I were scheduled to be in a south Georgia gymnasium to perform for the student body. There was no air conditioning, so we had to keep the doors open to survive. But the whole gym was filled with gnats; thousands of gnats flying in our mouths, eyes, ears, hair. We had to complete the show to get paid, besides the obvious benefit of teaching these cornfed football-playing boys to stop bullying the little kids. Yet, meanwhile we were getting straight bullied by these gnats. This school loved us though. We got mad respect from the students and faculty. Although I do recall them laughing a whole lot at us swatting gnats and improv-ing gnat lines into the show. Crazy!!!

What's your dream role? I am an actor. I want to work daily and I want to get paid for it so I can make a living. Right now my dream role is the role I got and the next one I get. So, getting to play Felicia in MEMPHIS at Street Theatre with the amazing Cathy Street as my director and Randy Craft as my musical director, and my delicious cast what it is, is my dream come true. Living the dream.

Who's your theatrical crush? Baby, Denzel Washington, Tom Hanks (both started in theatre and it shows). There are more, younger ones, but the world don't know them yet and I ain't telling.

To post a comment, you must register and login.