“Memphis”

[rating=5]  Porchlight, American Musicals, Chicago Style, continues to amaze its audiences with productions that jump off the stage and make the drive to their new home at The Ruth Page Center For the Arts, a trip to remember! They are ending their 2017/2018 season with a rip-roaring production of the multi-Tony Award winning ” Memphis” with a book and lyrics by Joe DiPietro and music and lyrics by David Bryan. This is a story that is based on actual events and in today’s world, has great meaning to our society. The story takes place in Memphis, Tennessee, in the “underground dance clubs of the 1950’s, and tells the story of a young white man, Huey Calhoun ( an incredible character brought to life by Liam Quealy), a “loser” who loves the music of the black population, finding himself drawn to the feeling and emotion that comes from the music and the heart.

He is also drawn to a lovely young singer, Felicia Farrell ( the incredible Aeriel Williams) who he decides he will make a star! Her brother, Delray Jones (deftly handled by Lorenzo Rush Jr.) is the club owner and is uncomfortable with this young, energetic white boy invading the turf of the African -American. After all, this was the 50’s and they were in Memphis. Young Huey does find his way to work for a radio station and plays “Black music”, causing the population, both wand black to bring his show to the highest rated radio show. This is truly a story dealing with desiring fame and the always “forbidden Love” that has plagued our history for centuries.

Felicia wants a career and knows that to get where she wants, they need to head North. Huey and Felicia do fall for  each other, but in Memphis, it cannot be in front of others. When they are found out, there are repercussions. This is a powerful play that deals with the black and white issues of the 1950’s, which are not all history, even up here, in the northern states, but the story is more about the love that this couple develops along with her brother, his mother, Gladys ( a superb job by Nancy Wagner) and Huey’s employer, Mr. Simmons ( played to perfection by Jacob Voigt) and new best friend, Bobby ( Chicago favorite James Earl Jones II, who steals a few scenes showing off his perfect comic touch).

There is also a highly energetic ensemble that sings and dances with the soul that this music deserves. Stephen Allen Jr. , Shantel Cribbs, Gilbert Domally ( as Gator, you will find him a touching character who will bring a tear to your eye-so bring some tissues), Ryan Dooley, Ariel M. Dorsey, Jared David Michael Grant, Graham Hawley, Kayla Kennedy, Nicole Lambert, Bernell Lassai III, Ivory Leonard IV, Mallory Maedke, John Marshall, Jr., Castena Baether, Isaiah Silvia-Chandley, Aalon Smith and  Koray Tarhan. A powerful and highly talented group!

This production is smoothly directed by Daryl D. Brooks and has wonderful choreography by Christopher Carter. The stage at Ruth Page, for this particular production has been designed by  Jaqueline Penrod and Richard Penrod, and while it is simple, it is highly functional and allows the flow of action to continue at a great pace. This is 2 1/2 hours of great music, dance and story-telling. There is a 15 minute intermission, allowing us to catch our breath from the highly emotional story and the powerful songs that we hear. While they may not be ones you will hum, some of the songs and the emotions that come from them will stick in your mind, and heart for a while. The powerful “She’s My Sister” sung by Mr. Rush , “Memphis Lives In Me”, by Quealy ( boy, does he have energy on stage) and everything that is sung by  Williams as Felicia!  Gator’s “Say A Prayer” ( this is where you might want a tissue), and the high- spirited  “Big Love” by Bobby are also stand out numbers.

The music is directed by Jermaine Hill ( on the piano) and his five musicians, Paul Basa on trumpet, Myron Cherry on percussion, Steve Manns on Bass, Anthony Rodriguez, handling flute, sax and clarinet and Cesar Romero on the guitars. These musicians make the Ruth Page Center “rock and roll”! The lighting (Denise Karczewski), sound (Robert Hornbostel), Costumes (Bill Morey), props (Andrew AShley Hatcher and fight choreographer (Casiena Raether) round out the technical parts of the production. This is one that YOU SHOULD SEE!!!

“Memphis” has already been extended, so you have until June 16th to do so with performances as follows:

Thursdays  7:30 p.m.

Fridays  8 p.m.

Saturdays  4 and 8 p.m.

Sundays  6 p.m.(on 4/29 and 5/6)  2 p.m. May 13th-June 3rd

on Wednesdays ,5/9 and 16th and Thursdays 5/24 there will be shows at 1:30 p.m.

Saturday, May 28th, the performance will be Open Captioned

Thursday , May 24th- There will be NO performance at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, April 28th  NO 4 p.m.

Tickets range from  $33- $60 and can be purchased by calling 773-777-9884 or online at www.PorchlightMusicTheatre.org

The theater is located at 1016 N. Dearborn and there is valet parking at the door. The area is metered.

To see what others are saying, visit www.theatreinchicago.com, go to Review Round-Up and click at “Memphis”!