I decided to wait to publish this review of Memphis until after Broadway San Jose closed their recent Bay Area premiere of Memphis, because of two reasons: I want you to see shows at Broadway San Jose (especially when they are Bay Area premieres) and Theatreworks, based out of Mountain View, was one of the regional theatres that cultivated this show from the beginning. Both of these institutions are major players in bringing great theatre to the Bay Area, and I want people to support them, but personally, I just don’t like Memphis. I thought I might have a change of heart since I saw it back in previews in October 2009, but if anything, it completely solidified my feelings of dislike even stronger.
I just don’t understand how Memphis won the 2010 Tony Award for Best Musical. I do have a theory though. I think that it just ended being the perfect storm for Memphis. Back when I saw it in previews, I wondered if it was going to last through winter, but the show kept keeping on, and in a very weak year for new musicals, Memphis just ended up being the best choice. (It was up against American Idiot, FELA! and Million Dollar Quartet for Best Musical.) Memphis ended up winning the coveted award for Best Musical and ran on Broadway for 1,166 performances and now there is even a feature film in the works. Not bad for a show that doesn’t have any emotional resolve.
And that, basically, is my main issue with the show: the ending.
At the end of the show, radio show host Huey Calhoun (the fantastic Bryan Fenkart) is in complete depression – he lost his girl, Felicia (Felicia Boswell) about four years ago and is on the worst radio station in Memphis. He has barely any listeners, no love life, and the last we had heard, the racial tensions in Memphis were not good (people were rioting when they found out about Huey & Felicia kissed on local TV broadcast). None of these issues are resolved, and if anything, worsens when Felicia announces that she is married to Bill, who very clearly, she doesn’t love. Then, all of the sudden, Felicia is on stage at her Memphis concert premiere singing, “Listen to the beat. Play it. Obey it. Love it with your feet.” Huey suddenly joins and continues, “Listen to your soul…. let it make you whole.” Then the song plays over and over until curtain.
(She really does sing, “Love it with your feet!” Seriously. I can’t make this stuff up.)
When it finished, I wondered, “What the hell just happened?”
This show doesn’t make me want to fight for societal change — the risks and losses are too great. This show doesn’t make me want fight for love — both characters end up alone (it’s clear that Felicia still feels alone even though she is engaged) and emotionally bruised. This show doesn’t even make me want to visit Memphis. Though it has some great music, the city which this musical is named after, is not featured enough to make me actually like the city. If anything, everything about the city of Memphis is negative.
Was Huey Calhoun’s efforts worth anything? Clearly, things have changed in regards to racial tension and segregation, but none of that was addressed in the musical. The very obstacle of the show was clearly about race, but at the end there is no hope towards a racially equal world. It wasn’t even really addressed unless you count White and African Americans dancing together but that wasn’t enough for me. The writers had a the perfect moment to impress upon a very open audience on how standing up for change can influence generations! A Normal Heart, with a few short words in a projection slide at the end of the production, created a huge impact, one that is still with me months after seeing it. Memphis ended and all I felt was annoyed that I invested myself into these characters who made all of the wrong choices and ended up being sad and alone.
All that being said, I sat back, forgot my worries and tried to be entertained. Unfortunately, I was taken out of the moment about every 5-10 minutes. Felicia Boswell, clearly a very strong singer, was barely intelligible. I didn’t understand probably 80% of what she sang (though this probably wasn’t helped by the bad sound design which I address next). Her big number, “Colored Women” during the middle of the first act was a tour-de-force performance that sounded like it was in a different language. She had incredible vocal prowess but without any diction. Her moments on stage with Bryan Fenkhart was definitely the best part of the show — their scene work was fantastic. Bryan brought a depth to Huey that I didn’t see when I saw it on Broadway. (He was the original understudy for Chad Kimball.) His accent was also less annoying than Kimball, which made his character so much more likable. I really enjoyed his character work and overall story arc a lot more.
I know that sound quality/design in the San Jose Center for the Performing Arts is incredibly difficult. Every opening night that I have been to has had some sound issues. I think past shows have had it a little easier since the orchestra used the pit. But with Memphis’ current staging, the band is off stage for the first act, and then on stage for the duration of the second act. This created a huge issue for the performers (at least I’m assuming) because I have never heard a Broadway chorus that was consistently off-key, not together with the band, or that hard to understand. I know these performers are better than that, so I assume it was the space and the fact it was their first time performing in this space. I’m sure it only got better during the length of the run, but it was just one of those performances that was just “off.” (Even Bryan’s chair’s wheel broke during the last scene!) Those things happen, and the cast kept doing their best and I’m sure that 75% of the audience never even noticed anything, but I was a bit surprised with the frequency of it all.
There were some great moments! Huey’s mother, Gladys (the hilarious Julie Johnson) was fantastic, especially in her number “Change Don’t Come Easy”. She brought the house down! Her comic timing was perfect. The choreography, by Sergio Trujillo, was fun to watch and incredibly athletic! It was also a treat to see William Parry (Mr. Simmons) perform on stage. (He was seen on Broadway in four original Stephen Sondheim musicals and many others.)
So unless you convince me otherwise, it’s safe to assume, I’m not a huge fan of Memphis, but that said, I’m a huge fan of the Bay Area supporting the arts — and I think it’s amazing that a show that got its start at Theatreworks’ New Works Festival is creating its own story! And I hope everyone that has been on its journey has loved every moment of it!
1. Bye Bye Birdie at Henry Miller’s Theatre – Oh, what can I say? It’s a mess. After sitting through this, my friend and I coined the phrase, “The best high school production of Bye Bye Birdie I’ve ever seen.” But then I digress, I’ve actually never seen Bye Bye Birdie performed at a high school. From the color-coordinated costumes to the lack of choreography, this show is just wrong. Oh, and did we mention that the teenagers are actually teenagers? So, if you are willing to shell out between $86.50 – $136.50 to see high schoolers perform, than more power to you. But I left, severely disappointed. The moment when you really want to walk out is during Gina Gershon’s mess of a dance, “Spanish Rose” — if you actually can call a “half-fan kick” dancing. 
2. Billy Eillot at Imperial Theatre – I’ll probably get some flack for this one, considering it won the Tony Award for Best Musical this year. The first time I saw this, I actually almost walked out during intermission. I hated it that much. I wanted it to be so much more than it actually was considering that I loved the movie SO much. My biggest beef with this show, is that somewhere along the way, it lost its “heart”. The show changes so much with what Billy you see. The first time, I saw the “angry” Billy. Th second time was the “confused” Billy. These kids have to be a triple threats and both of the ones I saw were incredible dancers, but lacked in the acting department. Maybe the 
3. West Side Story at Palace Theatre - This is another show that I should have loved, but instead really felt nothing for. I saw a matinee, which might have influenced my overall feelings, but I really thought I would like it and I didn’t. It has the makings for something incredible. Obviously, the show is incredible, yet I felt that this revival didn’t have anything new to offer, except for the genius performance by Karen Olivo playing Anita (who won the Tony Award). Olivo was the only one to give a fresh perspective to her character. Finally, they are replacing Matt Cavenaugh, who plays Tony, on December 13th. Frankly, they never should have cast him in the role in the first place. 
4. The Phantom of the Opera at Majestic Theatre - I solely write Phantom of the Opera on this list because you are better off seeing it in Las Vegas than in NYC. I’ve actually never seen the Broadway production because there is always something else that is more important. Always. The Vegas version is quite thrilling, especially since they cut all the nonsense to 90 minutes. Besides, the sound design is the best I’ve ever heard from any show, anywhere. See something else on Broadway and take a trip to Vegas to see Phantom. You won’t regret it. Besides, it’s been running on Broadway since 1988. Maybe with the sequel, Love Never Dies, coming out next November on Broadway it will finally die away…. maybe. More info, 
5. Mamma Mia at Winter Garden Theatre – Really, I mean really. This show should close so something else worth seeing can take its spot. Immediately. The show opened back in 2001. We are at eight years now. Playbill.com says, “The infectious music of ABBA provides the framework for a romp through the preparations of an unusual wedding.” Romp. Now I’m for sure not going.
