This is the fictional story of radio DJ Huey Calhoun (though loosely based on the life of real DJ Dewey Phillips). Huey is a good old boy in the segregated and racially tensioned city of Memphis, Tennessee in the 1950s. Despite being white, he has a penchant for R&B, or as he calls it, “the music of my soul.” He visits a black club on Beale Street, where the club owner is quick to point out that it is the music of his soul, not Huey’s. However, as Huey means no harm and just enjoys the music, they remain amicable. Huey hears the club owner’s sister, Felicia Farrell, sing and decides that it will be his mission to make her heard by as many people as possible, by putting her on the radio. He then proceeds to hound the local radio stations until with some degree of luck he manages to get a temporary gig as a radio DJ which eventually blossoms. He plays “black” music, namely R&B and the type of music from which Rock ‘n’ Roll was born. He in turn falls for Felicia, and they attempt to maintain a relationship despite all the obstacles and the odds they are up against.
This is a fantastic new original musical. It explodes with non-stop energy. The score is all original, written by Bon Jovi keyboardist David Bryan and Joe DiPietro, but the songs accurately represent the era. The singing and dancing is some of the best on Broadway. Despite dealing with such a heavy subject as race relations in the 1950s, it is fun and not overwhelming. I liked Huey, but his nasally speech and constantly listing around the stage (and constant swigging from a flask) was a bit of annoyance. However, I understand that it was affected and it did enhance his character. Despite the obvious focus on the singing and dancing in this show, the plot was surprisingly substantial and logical. The ending, however, did not give me the sense of closure that I was looking for, so I was a bit dissatisfied. This did not prohibit me from giving the show a standing ovation