Memphis

This Tony Award-winning musical celebrates the pop and soul music coming out of Memphis during the 1950s in a central storyline that mixes elements of A Star Is Born and West Side Story as the action alternates between a radio station and Delray's, a Beale Street club catering to an African-American clientele. As club patron Bobby Dupree (James Monroe Iglehart) sings in the opening number, "Ain't no white folks here, 'cause they're too damn scared." But then Huey Calhoun (Chad Kimball), a white stock boy, drops in to check out the scene after hearing Delray's sister, Felicia Farrell (Montego Glover). Huey proceeds to introduce "race records" to the store customers, who love the music, but it costs him his job, so he becomes a disc jockey at a station where Dupree sweeps the floors. Huey looks forward to playing Felicia's first single on the air, but his mother breaks it, so he arranges for her to sing it live. When his radio show becomes a hit, Huey buys his Mama (Cass Morgan) a house, and proposes to Felicia, but a racial scuffle threatens their future (not to mention Tennessee's ban on mixed marriage). As time passes, Huey turns to television, while also continuing to try to make things legal with Felicia, but matters become even more complicated when big money enters the picture. This filmed version of the acclaimed production featuring the original cast was aired in theaters and on PBS's Great Performances. Presented in DTS-5.1 (DTS-HD 5.1 on Blu-ray), Dolby Digital 5.1 and stereo, extras include a behind-the-scenes featurette. Recommended. (K. Fennessy)