[On Stage] The Story of a Radio Star That Begins with 'Ray' and Ends with 'La La Land'

A Musical Journey Through the Segregated South
The Story of Huey and Felicia's Dreams and Love in 'Memphis'

A dark city street cluttered with all kinds of signs and advertisements. The white protagonist, Huey Calhoun, enters from stage right, dancing joyfully by himself. Huey approaches the audience at the front of the stage, then turns around and heads toward the entrance of the 'Underground' club at center stage. A sign stating that only colored people may enter catches the eye, but Huey pays it no attention. When Huey finally opens the club door, the nighttime city backdrop splits to reveal the club's interior, dazzling with bright lights and a starkly different atmosphere. As the band plays lively music, the musical 'Memphis' begins, delighting both the eyes and ears of the audience.

The opening scene of the musical 'Memphis' is reminiscent of the first scene from the 2004 film 'Ray,' which depicts the life of Ray Charles, the legendary American soul musician who overcame visual impairment. The film opens with Ray boarding a bus to go perform. A white police officer accuses Ray of pretending to be blind to ride the bus for free. Ray insists that he has bought a ticket and has the right to ride. The scene continues with Ray sitting in the back of the bus, where a sign reading 'colored' is displayed.

Musical 'Memphis' performance scene
Photo by Shonote

Musical 'Memphis' performance scene
Photo by Shonote

Both 'Ray' and 'Memphis' are set in the American South during the mid-20th century, before the notorious Jim Crow Laws were abolished by the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

In the musical 'Memphis,' there are depictions showing that Black and white people could not even dine together in restaurants. During a time when any association between Black and white people was frowned upon, there is also a scene where Huey, while spending time with the Black female singer Felicia, the female lead, is assaulted by local thugs who notice them together.

'Memphis' is based on the true story of legendary DJ Dewey Phillips, who introduced Black music to white audiences in Memphis, a Southern U.S. city in the 1950s. Dewey was the only white radio host in Memphis at the time who played music by both Black and white artists. He is also famous for being the first DJ to broadcast an Elvis Presley song. Elvis Presley spent his school years and early, unknown days in Memphis.

Set in the city of the King of Rock and Roll, 'Memphis' tells the story of Huey, a radio DJ who wants to change the world by spreading rock and roll, and Felicia, a talented singer performing in a Black club, as they pursue their dreams and love.

Despite numerous obstacles, Huey and Felicia nurture their love, brought together by music. The musical features vibrant music and dynamic group dance scenes as Huey and Felicia rise to fame through music. The music of 'Memphis' was composed by David Bryan, the keyboardist of the legendary American rock band Bon Jovi. The quirky Huey, while driving the story forward between lively musical numbers, often displays eccentric behavior that elicits laughter from the audience.

Musical 'Memphis' performance scene. Lee Changseop as Huey.
[Photo by Shonote]

Musical 'Memphis' performance scene. Jung Seona as Felicia.
Photo by Shonote

As Huey and Felicia's love grows, Felicia is presented with an opportunity to advance to New York, leading to a difference of opinion between the two about whether to leave Memphis. However, their conflict is not heavily emphasized. Rather than dwelling on serious concerns, Huey's optimistic personality and the ongoing festive music and dance throughout the show naturally soften their disagreement. In the end, as they choose dreams over love and support each other, the story leaves a subtle, lingering impression, reminiscent of the ending of the film 'La La Land.'

'Memphis' is a highly acclaimed work that won the Tony Award for Best Musical, the most prestigious honor in the American theater industry, in 2010. It had its world premiere in 2003 in Beverly, California and Mountain View, California, and debuted on Broadway in 2009. The following year, at the 64th Tony Awards, it swept four categories in the musical division: Best Musical, Best Book, Best Original Score (Lyrics and Music), and Best Orchestrations. In Korea, it premiered at the Chungmu Art Center Grand Theater in 2023, and the following year won five awards at the 8th Korea Musical Awards: Best Production (over 400 seats), Best Direction, Best Ensemble, Best Producer, and Best Stage Art (Sound).

The role of Huey is played by Park Kanghyun, Ko Eunsung, Jung Taekwoon, and Lee Changseop, while the role of Felicia is played by Jung Seona, Yuria, and Son Seungyeon. The show runs at the Chungmu Art Center Grand Theater until September 21.