Memphis

I know this isn't a movie, it's a Broadway musical now in its national tour, but I have to say wow! My wife and I went to see this at Music Hall at Fair Park this Saturday afternoon and I have to say wow! Did I mention that I have to say wow? Me and Noelle have been trying to expand our horizons by seeing some live musicals, this is our third one this year so far. We've also seen "Million Dollar Quartet" and "Young Frankenstein - the Musical". Memphis was, oh, I don't know like...wow!

The play is set in the early 1950's and is a fictionalized account of the birth of rock and roll. It deals with a white radio station (in segregated Memphis) playing, as they call it, "race music". But it mainly focuses on two people, Huey and Felicia, and their struggles as they fall in love.

It runs about 2 1/2 hours with one 15 minute intermission at around the 1 1/2 hour mark. It passes fast. The music is awesome and the performers are outstanding. Felicia Boswell stars as "Felicia" and Bryan Fenkart starts as "Huey". The musical numbers were incredible and all of the singers have great voices. However, Julie Johnson as "Momma" almost stole the show with the musical number "Change Don't Come Easy" in the second act. She had the audience laughing and loudly applauding her performance.

The play won the Tony award for Best Musical in 2010 (as you can see by the poster above). I would recommend anyone that likes music to go see this, if you have the opportunity, even if you don't like musicals. It runs as Music Hall until May 27th.

Somebody should make this into a movie, I'd sure watch it. As a matter of fact, I enjoyed myself so much that I told Noelle I wouldn't mind seeing the play again.