Kemuel VanDer Puije, Otega Okurume, Alexander Conte, and Khanner Hancock. Photo courtesy of Little Theatre of Alexandria.
In a flurry of powerful voices, Tennessee accents, and earworm songs, the 2010 winner of the Tony Award for Best Musical, “Memphis,” has landed at The Little Theatre of Alexandria (LTA). “Memphis” follows the story of Huey Calhoun (understudy Garrett Rinker at the reviewed performance), a White disc jockey in Memphis, Tennessee who seeks to bring so-called “race music” to a larger stage. Through a series of successes, mishaps, and downright disasters, Huey works with his girlfriend and rising singer, Felicia Farrell (Khanner Hancock at the reviewed performance), to spotlight more music by Black artists at a “White” station.
…powerfully resonant voices…close-knit ensemble with compelling character work and dynamic casting…an incredibly fun night at the theatre.
LTA’s production of “Memphis” is bolstered by radiant cast chemistry as well as chill-inducing singing all across the board. Any ensemble number in particular such as “Make Me Stronger” demonstrated the litany of powerfully resonant voices that make up this cast. However, the ensemble numbers needed more variety in movement and staging. Often the ensemble was simply placed in three lines, directing all of their lines directly to the audience. Choreography by Stefan Sittig could be repetitive, but it is also important to note that the cast was certainly filled with singer-first actors rather than many dancer-first actors, which made long dance breaks built into ensemble songs challenging. That said, the ensemble members did a fantastic job at staying engaged and finding motivations for dancing. Rylan Snyder always stood out with a dazzling smile and hilarious trepidation before deciding to forgo racial boundaries and join in with a Black choir, for instance.
As Huey, Rinker strikes a firm balance between comedic and downright sleazy. Huey as a character is a tough nut to crack. “Memphis” does not quite condemn him for what Felicia’s brother, Delray (understudy Anthony Davis in this performance), calls “stealing,” but it also encourages the audience to question Huey’s actions until the very end. Rinker clearly understands this dichotomy and plays up both sides of Huey—the lovable, affectionate doofus as well as the undermining, selfish white man. His accent, while likely exaggerated, provides a hilarious foundation for Rinker’s meticulously placed vocal affectations that make Huey’s already funny lines even funnier. His chemistry with Hancock is stilted, which is fitting within the context of the story (they were at their best as a couple in the first act, when Hancock had to endearingly smooth Rinker’s faux mustache down after it kept falling off). Hancock makes a valiant effort to wrench Felicia from the woodwork, but she still falls victim to the character as written, fading into the background. This is perhaps where “Memphis” is most frustrating. In a musical about celebrating Black music and Black talent, the White male lead is heavily favored with stage time and character development. While Rinker’s performance is admirable, he certainly has the most to work with.
The rest of the cast makes as much of an impact as possible with limited stage time. As Bobby, Lavender Brio is electrically hilarious, with a keen focus on physicality and a smooth voice that elevates their performance to the next level. Nearly the entire audience held their breath when Kemuel Van Der Puije as Gator first began to sing. With endearing reactions to Huey’s antics and a striking falsetto, Van Der Puije is the darling of “Memphis.” Nikki Arbiter-Murphy as Gladys Calhoun often provides laughs when bantering with Davis who has one of the best voices in the cast and builds up an admirably protective version of Delray.
Director Rikki Howie Lacewell, coming off of her big “Dreamgirls” hit at Second Star (read our review here), does great work in building yet another close-knit ensemble with compelling character work and dynamic casting. At times, her staging can feel a bit stagnant. The vast majority of the show is staged downstage center, and the show’s quick pacing and rock music begs to move. Set design by Julie Fischer is simplistic, but flexible—one set can become anything the musical needs through various slight changes. Costume design by Farrell Hartigan subtly ensures to set the mood. Her costumes do a great job of helping to establish character, especially for Huey, Felicia, and Gator.
Even if “Memphis” as a call for racial unity is disappointing (yet another white savior story), it is an incredibly fun night at the theatre. The cast’s buzzing energy, hilarious one-liners and the songs in the style of 1950s Memphis ensure that LTA’s audience wants to return for another show in their 90th anniversary season.
Running Time: Two hours and 30 minutes, with one 15-minute intermission.
Advisory: Contains adult language, racial slurs, and racially-based violence.
“Memphis” runs through August 10, 2024 at The Little Theatre of Alexandria, 600 Wolfe Street, Alexandria, VA 22314. For more information and to purchase tickets, go online.
