BWW Reviews: Hockadoo! And Awesome Too! MEMPHIS Boosts the Music of Our Souls

Hockadoo! Phoenix Theatre's production of Memphis is exhilarating!

CJ Pawlikowski is electrifying! Or should I say captivating, riveting, or charismatic? The fact is he's all that with a powerful air of authenticity in portraying Huey Calhoun, the department store stockboy who finds the music of his soul in rock and roll and propels himself to local fame as a DJ, but not without stirring up the animosity of the local bigots.

Huey picks up on the sounds of the blues and rock streaming from Delray's, an underground bar where a white man is an anomaly. He enters. The music grabs his heart and so does Felicia Farrell (Tia DeShazor), both her voice and her being. He's going to break new ground, air the music of his soul on WNDZ, and make Felicia a star.

Thus begins Huey's steely determination to override the objections of his Bible Belt fire-breathing mama and the cautionary warnings of Delray's patrons and to defy, if not overcome, the dark social conventions and racism of 1950's Memphis. But, in that time and place, one could only go so far in breaking down the barriers that separated the cultures ~ not as far as one might in the New York of Dick Clark and Alan Freed. A simple kiss is confirmation of that sad truth, and where it transports the characters is the track of this uplifting tale of love and faith and perseverance.

Back to CJ Pawlikowski. His talent is huge, his voice versatile, his movements agile and elastic, and his drawl characteristic of Dewey Phillips on whose life the musical is based.

Beyond Pawlikowski is a theatrical treasure chest of performance gems.

CR Lewis casts a powerful presence and rich vocals as Delray.

David Robbins is utterly brilliant and dynamic as Bobby, the janitor at Delray's whose transformation as a powerhouse singer in his own right shines through in Big Love.

Lisa Fogel continues to rack up points as one of the region's most accomplished and talented singer/actresses. Whether she is Fantine in Les Mis or Patsy Cline in Always Patsy Cline, she has distinctive and remarkable style and range. No less is the case in her performance as Huey's mother Gladys whose shift from rigidity to tolerance is delivered in a show-stopping rendition of Change Don't Come Easy.

Miguel Jackson delivers a tour de force moment as Gator, whose lifelong silence since he saw his father lynched erupts into a most soulful Say A Prayer over Felicia's battered body.

Terry Gadaire is a delightful presence in the Phoenix scene, and in this production, cast in multiple parts, shows off once again the depth of his talent and versatility.

Michael Barnard's staging and direction of the Tony award-winning musical by David Bryan and Joe DiPietro is impeccable, melding the dynamic choreography of Michael Jenkinson, Michael Eddy's luminous lighting, Adriana Diaz's dazzling period costumes, and Robert Kovach's efficient yet stunning sets.

Memphis the Musical continues its must-see run at Phoenix Theatre through October 12th.

Photo credit: Phoenix Theatre

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