Our Theater Excursion to see 'Memphis' at The Bushnell!

Yesterday, my husband and I made the one hour drive into Hartford, CT to The Bushnell Theater to see the musical 'Memphis'.  Prior to seeing the show I confess that I hadn't heard much about it besides it's win in 2010 for Best Musical at the Tony Awards.  Learn more about Memphis by clicking on the wikipedia link!  We knew that it took place during the 1950's in Memphis, Tennessee during a time in our nation's history that is marked by sadness, anger, bigotry but most of all - courage.  So many of our nation's young people had the courage to stand up and call for change.  This show was about part of the change that music can bring.  It was an incredible show and we were surprised how quickly the time passed.  I spend a lot of time writing about the funny and often quirky years of the 40's, 50's and 60's.  These were some serious and difficult times and I don't ever mean to lessen the importance of the history that was taking place during those decades. 

There's a song in the show where the lyrics 'up North' are repeated over and over as a prayerful hope for a different life.  My mother was a student at The University of Alabama for two years between 1955 and 1957 before she married my father and moved 'up North' where she knew things would be different.  She was a journalism major whose articles about desegregation were not well received by her contemporaries.  She had a taste of life 'up North' when she spent a semester in Chicago at Northwestern University.  Her eyes were opened.  I'm glad they were.  One person at a time, change has slowly come.  There will always be prejudice and bigotry (certainly not like we experienced before) but one person can make a difference.  I saw that my 18 year old son was watching a documentary about Dr. King today.  I'm glad he chose to spend part of today learning about an important part of our past.  Here is a You Tube clip from Martin Luther King, Jr.'s last speech.  He was assassinated the next day. Prophetic.

 

Here's a short clip from 'Memphis'.  If you have the opportunity to see it in a city near you, go.  You won't be disappointed.

And this.  I don't mention this often but I work at a super large middle school in Danbury, CT.  Broadview Middle School is led (and I mean led) by Ed Robbs.  We, the students, staff, volunteers and families are so proud to follow his leadership.  Please read this Danbury News-Times article by Stacy Davis.  He was honored today along with others in the state... but we are proud of him.