Memphis Live!

The Broadway hit Memphis lives on at the Miracle Theatre

Memphis is the award-winning musical about a Memphis disc jockey who was among the first to play black music in the 1950s. It won four Tony Awards in 2010, including Best Musical of the year.

The Actor’s Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre brings Memphis back to life in grand fashion. Easily among their best productions, the Actor’s Playhouse revival of Memphis is simply spectacular. The quality of the performances – especially the singing and the music of the live orchestra – is Broadway worthy.

The narrative revolves around the love affair between Huey Calhoun, a white disc jockey, and African-American singer Felicia Farrell, who sings in a local club where Huey “discovers’ black music. Huey goes on to make a name for himself in the local radio world by breaking the color barrier with the music that he champions. The local community, however, is not ready for his relationship with Felicia. After an episode of racial violence, she decides to move to New York. He is not so sure.

How their conflict resolves itself is the story line of the production, but this play is really all about the music. And it is rip roaringly well performed. Gabrielle Graham is a breakaway talent as Felicia, and doesn’t miss a beat – or a note – as she belts out the superb musical score written by David Brian. Eddie Gain, meanwhile, does a great job creating the DJ character who is both a musical pioneer and a backsliding opportunist. The rest of the cast is point on, and do an impressive job keeping up with the lead cast members as they dance and sing their way through the ugly vestiges of racism in the South.

Memphis will be playing through April 7th. Do yourself a favor and spend a rollicking evening enjoying a Broadway musical performed at the highest level of artistic professionalism.

Actor’s Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre

280 Miracle Mile

305.444.9293

Actorsplayhouse.org