STAGE TUBE: Fenkart and Johnson Discuss MEMPHIS Tour

MEMPHIS stars Bryan Fenkart and Julie Johnson spoke to Sharon Eberson of the Post-Gazette paper in Pittsburgh about the MEMPHIS tour. Fenkart currently plays the lead character, Huey, and Johnson plays his "Mama." The actors shared what they love about the story, what it means to them, and how they believe it impacts young people in America today.

Click below to watch the interview!

MEMPHIS takes place in the smoky halls and underground clubs of the segregated 50’s, where a young white DJ named Huey Calhoun (Bryan Fenkart) fell in love with everything he shouldn’t: rock and roll and an electrifying black singer (Felicia Boswell). MEMPHIS is an original story about the cultural revolution that erupted when his vision met her voice, and the music changed forever. The show is currently playing at the Academy of Music in Philadelphia through January 22.

Critically acclaimed MEMPHIS won four 2010 Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Original Score (David Bryan and Joe DiPietro), Best Book (Joe DiPietro), and Best Orchestrations (David Bryan and Daryl Waters). It also won four Drama Desk Awards including Outstanding Musical, Outstanding Performance by an Actress (Montego Glover), Outstanding Music (David Bryan) and Outstanding Orchestration (David Bryan and Daryl Waters). Lastly, MEMPHIS has also won four Outer Critic Circle Awards including Outstanding Musical, Outstanding Score (David Bryan & Joe DiPietro), Outstanding Actress (Montego Glover) and Outstanding Choreography (Sergio Trujillo).

MEMPHIS features a Tony-winning score with music by Bon Jovi’s founding member/keyboardist David Bryan and lyrics by Bryan and Tony-winner Joe DiPietro (I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change), who also pens the musical’s book. MEMPHIS is based on a concept by the late George W. George (producer of the Tony nominated Bedroom Farce and the film My Dinner With Andre), with direction by Tony nominee Christopher Ashley (Xanadu) and choreography by Sergio Trujillo (Jersey Boys).

 

 

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