BWW Reviews: A Rousing, Timely, Musical MEMPHIS at The Warner Theatre

"MM-MMM...and that's spelled M-M-M-M-M" says the quirky and charismatic, renegade radio DJ Huey Calhoun as he struggles with his limited literacy to read a beer advertisement on air. The audience might be echoing that "delicious" sentiment after seeing this touring production of 2010's Tony Award winner for Best Musical, Memphis, currently at DC's Warner Theatre through tonight, May 2.

Memphis, loosely based on 50's, white DJ Dewey Phillips' story, is the story of many things: how Calhoun, written off as a failure by his own mother, takes the "music of his soul" into his own hands at a time when "race music" was a slur for rhythm and blues, or "colored music," that had no place on "white radio" or in "god-fearing, Christian homes;" how bigotry, in all of its horrifying nonsense, can be stonewalled with courage and maybe some love; and how music really can be a universal language.

It's not hard to understand how Calhoun, played with charmingly reckless abandon by Daniel S. Hines, falls in love at first sight (and listen) with the lovely and talented Felicia Farrell, when he first hears her sing at her brother's R&B club on Beale Street. Though he's been raised up to "stick with his own kind," he cannot resist the clarion call of the music in the "other" part of town, and realizes it has nothing to do with how light or dark your skin might be, and neither does true love. Oh, would that the rest of Memphis, TN, and the larger world agreed. Calhoun careens through this turmoil with all the subtlety of a wrecking ball, and a little too much alcohol, and a few too many pills. But the results make for a great story, great music and a great night of theater.

Zuri Washington's Felicia is a true treat. A talented singer certainly, but this role calls for more, and Washington has it in abundance. Her chemistry with Hines is believable and sweet, and she has the sometimes hard to find ability to act with restraint when necessary, so that the big moments have real impact.

But this production's real strength is not found just in the two leads. Instead, you may find yourself living for the moments that one, or both, of two supporting characters appear on stage in the persons of Rendell DeBose as Huey's friend Bobby, and Jonathan David Randle as Gator, who supports Huey's efforts somewhat more quietly (at first). Both actors are irresistible in their own ways: DeBose's Bobby in his ebullience (and fabulous dancing!), and Randle's Gator in his critical mass of silence and beautiful song.

Despite some rather awkward scene transitions (there's nothing like a bit too much quiet in between scenes to dampen the energy), the full-out performances by every member of this talented cast more than compensates. And the onstage band is so good that people stayed standing at their seats to hear every last note after the final bows.

It is more than a little interesting to reflect on this past week's current events in Baltimore and at the Supreme Court, while watching Huey and Felicia's struggle with their inability to marry (miscegenation laws had not yet been struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court), or even be affectionate in public, and Felicia's heartbreaking delivery of the hard truth to Huey about her lack of options, versus the freedom he has simply because he's white. It's tempting to believe that he's right about people changing their minds if "they just get to see us together," but we've been reminded recently that Felicia may still be prudently skeptical, even today. And while Huey pleads with her that everyone should be able to marry the person they love, we're still talking about that these days too.

In the end, Memphis is a satisfyingly weighty, theatrical combination of good story and great music, and worth a visit to "listen to the beat."

For tickets, and to find out more about the show, go to Daniel S. Hines, falls in love at first sight (and listen) with the lovely and talented Felicia Farrell, when he first hears her sing at her brother's R&B club on Beale Street. Though he's been raised up to stick with his own kind, he cannot resist the clarion call of the music in the "other" part of town, and realizes this has nothing to do with how light or dark your skin might be, and neither does true love. Oh, would that the rest of Memphis, and the larger world agreed. Calhoun careens through this turmoil with all the subtlety of a wrecking ball, and a little too much alcohol, and a few too many pills. But the results make for a great story, great music and a great night of theater. Zuri Washington's Felicia is a true treat. A talented singer certainly, but this role calls for more, and Washington has it in abundance. Her chemistry with Hines is believable and sweet, and she has the sometimes hard to find ability to act with restraint when necessary, so that the big moments have real impact. But this production's real strength is not found just in the two leads. Instead, you may find yourself living for the moments that one, or both, of two supporting characters appear on stage in the persons of Rendell DeBose as Huey's friend Bobby, and Jonathan David Randle as Gator, who supports Huey's efforts somewhat more quietly (at first). Both actors are irresistible in their own ways: DeBose's Bobby in his ebullience (and fabulous dancing!), and Randle's Gator in his critical mass of silence and beautiful song. Despite some rather awkward scene transitions (there's nothing like a bit too much quiet in between scenes to dampen the energy), the full-out performances by every member of this talented cast more than compensates. And the onstage band is so good that people stayed standing at their seats to hear every last note after the final bows. It is more than a little interesting to reflect on this past week's current events in Baltimore and at the Supreme Court, when watching Huey and Felicia struggle with not being able to be married (miscegenation laws had not yet been struck down by the Supreme Court), or even be affectionate in public, and Felicia's delivery of the hard truth to Huey about her lack of options versus the freedom he has simply because he's white. It's tempting to believe that he's right about people changing their minds if "they just get to see us together," but we've been reminded recently that Felicia may still be prudently skeptical, even today. And while Huey pleads with her that everyone should be able to marry the person they love, we're still talking about that these days too. In the end, Memphis is a satisfyingly weighty, theatrical combination of good story and great music, and worth a visit to "listen to the beat." For tickets, and to find out more about the show, go to http://www.memphistour2015.com/index.asp." target="_blank">http://www.memphistour2015.com/index.asp.

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