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<P
style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"
class=MsoNormal align=center><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Award-winning
‘Memphis’ more eye-candy than compelling story<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Bob
Abelman<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">News-Herald,
Chagrin Valley Times, Solon Times,<o:p></o:p></SPAN></I></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">The
Morning Journal, Geauga Times Courier<o:p></o:p></SPAN></I></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Member,
American Theatre Critics Association <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></I></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">This
review will appear in the <I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Times
</I>papers </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">on
3/08/12<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P
style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"
class=MsoNormal align=center><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">The Broadway musical
“Memphis,” on tour and currently on stage at PlayhouseSquare, earned the 2010
Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards for Best Musical.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>While such awards are emblematic of
theatrical excellence, they are also a measure of what is being bested.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The greater the competition, the more
valid the award.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Sad to say, the
honors bestowed upon “Memphis” occurred during a relatively mediocre season of
musical theater dominated by retreads, revivals and minimal risk-taking.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Also nominated for
Best Musical was: “Million Dollar Quartet,” an artificial and formulaic
retelling of the historic jam session between Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl
Perkins, and Elvis Presley; “American Idiot,” which the <I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">New York Times</I> called “a pulsating
portrait of wasted youth that, in both plotting and its emotional palette, is
drawn in brash, primary-colored strokes, maybe too crudely for those looking for
specifics;” and “Fela!,” which critics noted “doesn’t so much tell a story as
soak an audience to and through the skin with musical style and
sensibility.”<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">“Memphis,” too, has
more moxie than meaning, and wins kudos for its presentation rather than its
profundity or audacity.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>While the
story and its songs lack depth and—quite frankly—heart and soul, the
storytelling is absolutely superb.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #232323; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">At
its core is a tale about race </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">and
rock ’n’ roll during the early 1950s.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Huey Calhoun, a smooth-talking Caucasian rebel with a cause, is seduced
by the sound of Rhythm & Blues.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>During the course of this musical, Huey launches a career as a quirky
radio disc jockey in his hometown of Memphis that introduces “race music” to
white audiences and jumpstarts a musical revolution. <SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">This
core is given a thin candy coating by </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #232323; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">librettist-lyricist
Joe DiPietro (“<SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic">I Love You, You’re
Perfect, Now Change”</SPAN>) and composer David Bryan (Bon Jovi keyboardist and
co-writer of the “<SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic">Toxic Avenger”<I>
</I></SPAN>musical<I> </I>with Mr. DiPietro).<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Their songs are solid but soulless
simulations of early </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">rock,
church gospel, and R&B that </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #232323; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">lack
that elusive ingredient that reels you in by the heartstrings.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>They serve to move along the storyline
but fail to move an audience.</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #232323; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-style: italic">While
the material lacks luster, the presentation of it is top-notch.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The show </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">boasts
of an explosive group of singers and dancers who execute Sergio Trujillo’s
highly stylized period choreography to perfection and hold nothing back.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Ensemble numbers occasionally resemble
an advanced jazzercise video, with moves more aerobic than aesthetic, but they
are thoroughly entertaining.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Bryan
Fenkart is a 78 rpm record played at 33 1/3 and an absolute charmer as
Huey.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>With a face and body in
perpetual if somewhat spastic motion, he does his best to bring life to dialogue
that is often stale and stunted in terms of dramatic development.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>His “Memphis Lives in Me” is one of the
best songs in the show but, as an eleventh hour number at the tail end of Act 2,
it is a bit too little too late.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Felicia
Boswell, as Huey’s love interest Felicia, is phenomenal.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Listening to Ms. Boswell sing “Love Will
Stand When All Else Falls” in the face of the adversity brought on by their
interracial relationship is reason enough to come to this production.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">While
the story lacks a genuine pulse, it has a solid backbeat delivered by a
wonderful 10-piece on-stage orchestra under Alvin Hough’s direction. <SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>In fact, under Christopher Ashley’s
general direction, the entire production moves at a delightfully fast
pace.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">All
this activity unfolds within a set that, while a simplified version of David
Gallo’s New York staging, beautifully captures the play’s time, place and
temperament. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Some transitions were
a bit rough on opening night, but they resulted in some stunning locations,
particularly the smoky, underground bar where Huey and Felicia first
meet.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">This
production is wonderful to look at and a pleasure to listen to.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>It will stimulate the senses if not
satisfy the desire for something more out of a Tony Award-winning
musical.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">“Memphis” continues
through March 11 at PlayhouseSquare’s Palace Theatre.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>For tickets, which range from $10 to
$85, visit <A href=""><FONT
color=#004276>www.playhousesquare.com</FONT></A>.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>