FEBRUARY 16-22, 2017 FACEBOOK.COM/WHATZUPFORTWAYNE • WWW.WHATZUP.COM • FACEBOOK.COM/WHATZUPFORTWAYNE ---------------------------------Feature • Memphis -------------------------------- Civic Takes the Hard Road By Mark Hunter still have a lot of these topics happening to- the story that held him. day.” “When I read the story and listened to After nearly a year of preparation, the To broach such a difficult subject is not the soundtrack, I knew immediately that this award-winning musical Memphis is about to easy. But the cast got to hear a personal ac- was something I wanted to be a part of,” hit the stage of Fort Wayne Civic Theatre. count from a friend of one of the actors. Wilhelm said. “The music is awesome and Set in 1950s Jim Crow Memphis, Ten- “He came in and talked about his time in grabs you right out of the gate with the song nessee, the show follows the lives of two Memphis,” she said. “He worked in the mu- ‘Underground.’ But this show is way more lovers from opposing sides of a city deeply sic industry, and he experienced Jim Crow than just great music. This is one of those divided by race, yet rare shows that is increasingly con- not only fun but nected by music. also carries weight February 16 | 6:30pm With a cast along with that. of highly talented The themes running local performers throughout still hit DANIEL TIGER LIVE bringing to life the home today. The songs and dances show takes place of the mid-20th from 1951-60, but century American people today are South, the Civic’s still struggling to production is sure be seen as equals. to be a hit. At least Their rights are be- that’s what director ing obstructed or Leslie Beauchamp taken away. Huey thinks. was ahead of his “I’m excited, time in his accep- but a little crazy,” tance of blacks and Beauchamp said. his love of their “We’ve been look- music. He couldn’t ing at this for understand what March 5 | 7:30pm maybe a year with the big deal was.” pre-production and Fatima Wash- research and meet- MEMPHIS ington, who plays GABRIEL IGLESIAS ings. The cast is FORT WAYNE CIVIC THEATRE Felicia, said several crazy talented, but 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, things brought her it’s a difficult subject.” Feb. 17-18 & 24-25 to the role. That’s putting it mildly. The show opens 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 19 & 26 “As of late it seems most of the roles with a pair of disc jockeys – one white, one I’ve been attracted to have to do with race black – spinning segregated records for Arts United Center and relationships but from the 20s, 30s or their segregated audiences. The white music 303 E. Main St., Fort Wayne 50s,” Washington said. “With the current spreads across the city on high-wattage ra- $17, 260-424-5220 climate, it seems more relevant. I look at it dio waves while the black music struggles to in a positive way. So many times when you make it to the next block. first-hand. Most of the cast is young and talk about race and relations it becomes an Into Delray Farrell’s (Albert Brown- they’ve never experienced it. It was really argument. When you have a medium like the lee) underground black music club walks nice of him to come in. Thankfully, we don’t arts it’s a great way to open up the conversa- March 17 | 7:30pm the very white, very forward Huey Calhoun have things as horrible as that right now.” tion.” (Jake Wilhelm). Huey and Delray have more For Huey, the divide makes no sense, es- Beauchamp said she was delighted to in common than it at first appears. They both pecially when it comes to the music. When have Fatima Washington audition for the THE TEXAS TENORS love black music and they both love Delray’s he joins the revelers in Delray’s club, he is role of Felicia Farrell. It was a natural fit, sister, Felicia Ferrell (Fatima Washington), a greeted with less than open arms. But his Beauchamp said. Washington has for years ON SALE NOW beautiful and powerful singer. plea that he is there for the music, “the music wowed audiences around the country with It’s the beginning of rock n’ roll, and of my soul,” as he puts it, eventually earns her vocal talents. Mamma Mia! ................................March 7 Huey wants to make Felicia into a star (and him grudging acceptance. Then he hears Fe- “The first time I ever saw Fatima do Taizhou Luantan Opera .......... March 19 his girlfriend). But some things you just are licia sing and his aim shifts. anything onstage that wasn’t just vocal, Once ............................................ March 27 not supposed to do in Memphis. Huey talks The character of Huey Calhoun is based she did Jake’s production of Violet at Arena Billly Porter/Marquee Gala ..... March 29 his way both into a white radio station where on the real life of Memphis deejay Dewey (Dinner Theater). She was brilliant.” Beau- champ said. “My husband [director Brad Rocktopia Live ............................... April 2 he breaks the rules by playing black music Philips, whose free-form style brought white and eventually works his way into Felicia’s and black music to listeners. Philips was the Beauchamp] had seen her, and he fell in love Jerry Seinfeld ................................. April 6 heart. Delray resists. Huey’s mother resists. first deejay to play Elvis Presley on the ra- with her. Love at first sight. He put her in the Pippin ............................................ April 18 Felicia wins over white audiences, Huey dio. He also got Elvis to reveal his race by Mountaintop, a two-person play with Ennis Vince Gill ....................................... April 23 earns the respect of Delray’s friends. But asking him where he went to high school. Brown who plays Gator in Memphis.” Under the Streetlamp ................... May 5 compromises must be made. The rest of the characters are fictional. Joining Washington, Wilhelm, Brown For Beauchamp, the staging of Mem- To create Huey, the writers of Memphis and Brownlee in the lead roles are Pam phis, which won four Tony Awards in 2010, – David Bryan (music and lyrics) and Joe Good, who plays Huey’s mother Gladys posed a challenge not just because of the DiPietro (lyrics and book) – took the racial Calhoun; Christopher Murphy, who plays Embassy Theatre demanding singing, dancing and staging the blindness of Philips and honed it to single- white radio station owner Mr. Simmons; and 125 W. Jefferson Blvd. play requires, but because of the attitudes of mindedness. Huey intends to make Felicia a Prentis Moore as Bobby. times, both then and now. star, even if the effort gets them both killed. The rest of the cast take on multiple du- Fort Wayne, Indiana “When you think of musical theater you In the end, it is Felicia who bears the brunt ties as bar patrons, dancers, singers, rope- think happy and bright,” Beauchamp said. and reaps the rewards of Huey’s efforts. jumpers. Beauchamp said in her 30 years in ticketmaster.com “But this is a darker subject matter, and it For Jake Wilhelm, who plays Huey, it deals with difficult topics. Even in 2017 we was the music that grabbed him, but it was Continued on page 6 2 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- www.whatzup.com ----------------------------------------------------------- February 16, 2017 Whatz Up.qxp_Layout 1 1/26/17 2:10 PM Page 1 whatzup Volume 21, Number 27 ou’re probably reading this on or after February 16, but this blurb is being written the afternoon of Tuesday, February 7, 24 hours before the editor and publisher of this paper (who long ago quit referring to himself as Mr. what- Yzup), along with his wife (please don’t call her Mrs. whatzup), are due to embark on an already once-postponed, five-day trip (two of which are set aside for travel) to Negril, Jamaica (no, not with the WXKE folks, just, as it worked out, simultaneously) from which we are due to return just in time to put the finishing touches on this paper before sending it to our printer in Kendallville. Presented by As it happens, and because God apparently has a wicked sense of humor, it’s also about a hour after an internet outage that our provider says should be fixed at the exact March 2-5, 2017 moment we were due to leave. It’s our first internet outage in years, and it occurred right as we were getting ready to download the last feature story which, hell or high water, Featuring we’re going to find a way to get in hand, edited and on the page before we leave. We’re well aware that this is both TMI and completely extraneous to your own attempts Mother and daughter duo Karen Laine and Mina Starsiak to put your bat to life’s curveballs, but it is in its own way illustrative of what we are willing to do to make sure that you know whatzup in and around northeast Indiana. One Two Chicks and A Hammer! way or the other, this paper will be printed at its regular time, delivered to its more than 350 drop points the same as it is every week and available for you to pick up and read y and Saturday at the same time and place that you always do. So enjoy. We’ll be back next week, rested, Appearing Frida ready and hopefully not too sunburnt. inside the issue When it comes to exciting homes, • features FLIX ................................................