How was MEMPHIS' first preview?

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 9/23/09 at 11:14pm

Anyone?

[1183]

Posted: 9/23/09 at 11:25pm

pretty damn great!

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 9/23/09 at 11:57pm

Care to elaborate, 1183?

[bwayguy22089]

Posted: 9/24/09 at 1:23am

I too heard from a friend that it was incredible.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 9/24/09 at 1:28am

LOL 1183. I guess you and I saw different shows. Basically Memphis is one long after school special about racism. Everything was SO cliche and heavy handed.

Here's the basic set-up. All Whites in Memphis are horrible racists who call Blacks the N word and think their "race music" shouldn't be played on the radio. All the Whites except for Kimball that is, who believes in Glover and promises to get her on the radio.

Every gimmick in the book is thrown in. Kimball has a racist mother who is against his mixing with the colored folk. Will she come around in act 2? I guess you'll have to see the show to find out...

In the first scene we find out one of the Black characters hasn't spoken in years. I wonder if something really traumatic will happen that will cause him to break his silence? Maybe even during the first act finale.

Glover's brother has a scar on his back where he was beat up for drinking out of a White water fountain. A la Ragtime there are several hate crimes, including a dramatic act one closer.

Basically it's part Dreamgirls, part Hairspray, and bits of Ragtime and Caroline, or Change thrown in for good measure. Glover even gets a big "And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going" moment. I swear the finale was "You Can't Stop the Beat."

The voices are mostly good, in the case of Glover outstanding. Unfortunately there is absolutely no plot to hold the string of songs together. I mean literally nothing happens the entire first act. Without a central conflict to move the characters along the piece just goes from one racial stumbling block to another without any focus.

***Slight Spoiler***
There is a great camp moment in act two when Cass Morgan as Kimball's mother realizes Blacks aren't bad. She went to a Black church and they WERE better singers than the White folks!! She then proceeded to have her own gospel moment. It was pretty funny.
***End spoiler***

I don't think there's really a way to save this show. It's not really a matter of cutting/replacing songs, or stuff like that. The problem is the production needs a plot, and sadly that may not come along by opening.

[ljay889]

Posted: 9/24/09 at 2:44am

Ehhh. this doesn't sound too hot.

[WaterPolo10036]

Posted: 9/24/09 at 8:06am

(SPOILERS IN MESSAGE)The show has it's problems. The cast is pretty amazing and the scenic design is great. I was frustrated to see a show that has the potential to be great but the story is underdeveloped. Huey (Chad Kimball) has an anemic climax in act two that leads to a very quick fall from grace. He's written to be Kind-of drunk and kisses Felicia (Montego Glover)on television, which causes his show to get cancelled and her to move to NYC. You never see them fall in love in act one, it just magically happens, so you are already not too invested in the storyline- though the actors do their best with what's given. I was totally confused when Felicia reappears two years later to ask him to appear onstage for her first concert of her tour. We know it's two years because there is a clunky line saying "I guess I haven't seen you in two years" and we learn she's engaged. Huey is broken but still on the radio. During the finale (Very You Can't Stop the Beat in Chorus Line Finale costumes) he appears and joins in the song. What???? He nearly ruined her career on TV and now you want to bring him onstage to kick off the premiere of your concert. It made no sense. Like I said the cast is working very hard but they aren't being given much to play. 50% of the music is great, the other half is forgettable, in fact the best three numbers are the last three of act two. There is a clunky generic act one opener too. Christopher Ashley has succeeded in white washing a thrilling story. The edge of this show is sanded down- which sucks because it could be amazing. The choreo is uninspired and unmotivated. I hope that they make some major changes to the show, because there is great potential. I thought that Hairspray delved deeper into the subject matter than this, in fact if someone asked me to describe the show I would call it Hairspray light and dark- but he doesn't get the girl. The cast is so amazing, I really hope that they can find the shows teeth. The idea of the show is spot on- the execution isn't there yet.

[leefowler]

Posted: 9/24/09 at 8:42am

I'm surprised that there's not more here about Chad Kimball, who has the biggest role since Mama Rose, in that he almost NEVER leaves stage. He's an amazing talent, with a remarkable voice. I predict he's the guy who's going to be offered every leading man role on Broadway for the next couple of years.

This is going to sound very weird to anyone who doesn't know what I'm talking about...But did Chad Kimball's voice inflections when he spoke remind anyone else of Torgo from "Manos: The Hands Of Fate"?

[massofmen]

Posted: 9/24/09 at 8:58am

I predict that your prediction will be known as the dumbest prediction i have ever heard on this board.

You are predicting that a 5'6 white guy who sings high tenor who is 35 will be offered "every leading man role on Broadway for the next couple of years"? He can barely lay any other leading man role on broadway right now. Name 2 other roles he could jump into right now on bway. Fyero (only because the short norbery leo butz played it that its even remotely possible) annnnd..i cannot think of another.

Every other show this guy has done on bway has been a flop, (into the woods, good vibrations, lennon) and this show will be no exception. It's an after-school special with boring music and a trite plot that has been seen over and over again.

Person from different race fights the odds to be accepted in the other race. zzzzzzzzzz......

This will have a very short shelf-life, now that is a prediction worth noting.

[leefowler]

Posted: 9/24/09 at 9:04am

Angry much?

[WaterPolo10036]

Posted: 9/24/09 at 9:32am

I actually thought that Chad Kimball will be the break out star. I think he's the new Norbert Leo Butz. Montego is great also, but Chad owns the stage.

[KimDSimon]

Posted: 9/24/09 at 9:39am

I was really worried about it after seeing the horrendous youtube clips but I thought this show was "fantastical". All the actors gave powerful and moving performances and I would highly recommend Memphis to anyone. This is a show that you want to see succeed and I hope it gets the praise it deserves.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 9/24/09 at 10:17am

Are you guys kidding about Chad? His accent was so bizarre last night. It was a cross between Carol Channing and Liza playing the lead in Flowers for Algernon.

He tried hard, but the role was so poorly written. As noted above, the love story really came out of nowhere. It was totally unbelievable and you really had nothing invested in the characters.

The lines about time passing were VERY funny. Twice it was just randomly thrown into the conversation that a few years had passed. These lines need to be changed pronto.

Chad sounds good, but if this thing flops it might be one too many flops on the resume.

Updated On: 9/24/09 at 10:17 AM

[uncageg]

Posted: 9/24/09 at 10:31am

massofman, have you seen the show? Just asking.

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 9/24/09 at 10:35am

It's nice to see that Chad Kimball can play a real person, not just a mute cow

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 9/24/09 at 10:38am

Well Chad has played a VERY real person, John Lennon.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 9/24/09 at 10:45am

One too many flops? Will Chase is still going strong!

Is the music at least decent? I loved his score for "Toxic Avenger."

How are the sets?

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 9/24/09 at 10:46am

I know he played Lennon, but its was just more of a joke that played a mute cow! Thanks though "WhizzerMarvin TrinaJasonMendel" BTW, pretty long name you got there! lol Nice though

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 9/24/09 at 11:16am

I love Toxic Avenger too, and actually if you know that score well you will here some strains of "Hot Toxic Love" and "Big Green Freak" in Memphis! This score isn't bad per se, it's just forgettable.

The set is UGLY! I've never been to Memphis, so I can't comment on how realistic it is, but the colors are fairly drab. The physical production definitely doesn't evoke much of an atmosphere about what Memphis is like. I didn't walk away saying, ok I have a feel for what it was like to live in Memphis in the 50s.

[Ed_Mottershead]

Posted: 9/24/09 at 11:29am

Thanks, Whizzer -- I had been rather iffy about seeing this one, but you're comments seemed to be on-target and, having met you, respect your thoughts/opinions. And you just saved me some money. Thanks again.

[KimDSimon]

Posted: 9/24/09 at 11:48am

I don't understand how judgemental some of these posts are. I've seen almost every show that's come out in the past 4 years and this was one of my favorites. Of course it has its faults but there was tons of talent there and an overall enjoyable performance especially for a first preview.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 9/24/09 at 12:02pm

There is some talent on stage. Glover sound amazing, and the dancing by the ensemble is wonderfully executed, even if the choreography is a little time period inappropriate.

Just because there is talent on stage doesn't make the show good though.

KimDSimon- I'm not trying to insult you, but in the past four years did you really think this was better than Next to Normal, Billy Elliot, Grey Gardens, Xanadu, Passing Strange, and A Catered Affair to name a few?

Did you not find it just to be a rehash of Hairspray and Dreamgirls mixed together?

I'm honestly not trying to be overly mean towards the show. I was excited to go hear an original score last night. I guess I was just disappointed with what I saw and found many faults with the show. Is it wrong to expect the best from the supposed best arena for theater in the country?

[1183]

Posted: 9/24/09 at 12:09pm

The show is great. That is the truth. It is very entertaining, full of soul and heart. Dynamic sets, stunning and innovative use of projections. Fantastic performances- characters that I cared about. Solid music, with some really wonderful melodies. Strong book. A welcome NEW musical on Broadway. Go see it. Bring friends, you will not be disappointed.

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 9/24/09 at 12:27pm

Whizzer, you're certainly entitled to your opinion, but many of your comments have left me plain confused.

On one hand, you say you've never been to Memphis, but on the next you criticize the physical production for not accurately evoking what the city is like.

We'll have to agree to disagree. I thought the show was pretty fantastic. I found the score sensational, the lead performances absolutely dynamic, and the production design pretty stunning.

I agree with you that there are some faults and inconsistencies, but come on- you're surprised the town is painted as overtly racist? That was the culture of the time for the South, especially considering the whole story is about overcoming adversity. What is there structurally for the characters to overcome if they have nothing in their way? It isn't even as if everyone in the story isn't racist either- clearly there was a contingency of support for the African-American population if Huey's program was able to raise to such notoriety. The music is what brings people together, and that's the heart of the story.

The show is loosely based on a real DJ who rose to popularity in Memphis during the time period, so a lot of what you're dismissing as inaccurate actually happened.

I'd also venture to say that, if you're going to trash the show, you should at least concede that the audience went absolutely crazy for it. I've never witnessed such a visceral reaction from a crowd at a first preview, especially considering there are no stars involved and no previous source material to evoke familiarity.

This is in no way a criticism of you specifically (I usually agree with most of your reviews,) but I'll never understand people who go to a new piece early in the preview process and then walk away perplexed as to how they're not seeing a finished product.

Updated On: 9/24/09 at 12:27 PM

[WaterPolo10036]

Posted: 9/24/09 at 12:37pm

The show was HEAVILY papered, I wouldn't read too much into audience response when a sizable chunk of the house is friends of actors/producers/creatives. I know the producers are monitoring the boards for reaction to the show- so I think it's healthy to discuss what isn't working so changes can be made. Because if they don't fix the glaring problems the show won't make it through the year. Clunker songs, bad dialogue, and a very stilted climax will doom the show to bad reviews and a weak box office. They already have the challenge of selling a new musical with no stars- if they don't make it the best possible, it won't be around in six months.