Memphis at Segerstrom Center for the Arts Elite Event

really good show and worth going to see
The venue is awesome as always

Kinda late to write this review… but it truly was a deserving 5 star review. Somehow Ryan C. just knocks it out of the ballpark at every event I’ve been to so far. I’ve been wanting to see Memphis for awhile now, and so getting into this event just made my day!
So excited to get a Unilocal cookie! and watch a great cast sing and perform. I’ve watched a lot of musical productions here at Segerstrom and this one was by far the best performance yet.
Fantastic seats.
Fantastic cast.
Fantastic vocals.
Fantastic night.
Plus the presidential elections.
*4 more years! 4 more years!* I know not everyone was happy that evening with the outcome, but life goes on.
It was a wonderful night. Thank you Ryan!

What a great time my girlfriend and I had at this event, hosted by Ryan C. Not only was it our first Unilocal event, but it was also our first time at this beautiful venue. :)
What I enjoyed most about «Memphis» was that, although it operates amidst the racial tensions of the South during the 1950’s and 60’s, it concentrates on the music therein. With a dark setting such as this, one in which the gorge of «separate but equal» is further divided by continuing hatred and ignorance, the love and appreciation of music and dance finds opportunities to build bridges. And you will applaud that effort. And you will applaud loudly.
Sure you will notice themes you’ve seen before, but it won’t matter. «Memphis» isn’t necessarily interested in deep, ethical discussions about the human condition after the curtain call. It’s a love story, sure, but its strength is that it gets you to snap your fingers, to hum along, to also build bridges. The music: that’s what you’ll remember most. And you will feel it worth every penny that you shared in the experience.

Well done! That’s all I can say.
I appreciate that Ryan C. has made an effort to throw events that aren’t just food and drink related. This was a great opportunity to see a really fun musical. I was also impressed by how simple it was to just show up, grab our tickets and free stuff (cookie, coupon, CD), and get into the show. Just a beautiful job by the Unilocal!staff.
I also wanted to say that if you appreciate good gospel music or commentaries on race relations in the south, definitely check out «Memphis». My wife and I really enjoyed it.

It has been awhile since I went to the theater and I so appreciated our AWESOME Unilocal CM, Ryan C who hooked a bunch of Elites and a +1 to a musical evening of «Memphis.»
We were also treated to a cookie, coupons, and a «Memphis» CD.
It was a great escape from the 2012 Election evening… good Unilocal friends and a great musical.
=)

How can you NOT love going to see a performing arts performance? Opening night for the highly acclaimed Memphis musical full out with live production during the show! hockadoohockadoo! This was definitely awesome production with a touching storyline was TOP notch performances from the entire cast. WOW American Idol/​The Voice got nothing on these singers! Although i have to admit i had no idea what the storyline was going into the show, but i was definitely captivated by the touching story. So DEFINITELY go check it out if you’re seeing an Tony award winning performance by a definitely top tier cast.
Thanks so much to Ryan C and Unilocal for coordinating and setting up another AWESOMENESS of a Unilocal elite event as usual :) You gotta love the yummy Unilocal shortbread cookies, complementary soundtrack CDs and 25% off coupons!

HOCKADOO!
I must admit that events like these motivate me to stay Elite. Ryan C. has definitely reignited the UnilocalOC flame with more events than your schedule will permit you to attend.
Cookie and musical? Yes please!

Memphis was a very enjoyable musical with a great production and cast. Opening night and the beautiful Segerstrom Center was packed to the rafters with the A-​list of Orange County. Glad to be part of that group!
Felicia was a great and believable character, along with Huey and their forbidden love. Huey’s mom was great and can really belt out a song!
My plus one was my beautiful daughter Jessica and I know that not only did she appreciate it, but she really enjoyed Memphis and judging by her laughter, she thought it was a very funny musical.
Sidenote: so at intermission we stepped outside for some fresh air (ok I wanted a cigarette) and it was abuzz with election results. I feared for one woman, feared that she was so upset that she was going to fling herself off the balcony. Luckily her male companion clung to her and gave her emotional support. I do hope she will be okay…
Cookies and Memphis CD’s were awesome Unilocal swag, along with coupons for your friends and family to enjoy a discount of this Broadway production.
Thank you Ryan C. and Segerstrom Center for hosting this and for letting me get my artsy side on.

Another 5 star event from Ryan C! Thanks so much for the tickets to Memphis. Thank you to Segerstrom for hosting a bunch of Unilocalers. Thank you for the Blackmarket Bakery shortbread cookie with Unilocal logo. Thank you for the cool Memphis CD and discount tickets. Offer code is Unilocal for 25% off tickets for Memphis from now until end of run (Tues — Fri shows only).
It was a wonderful musical with exciting music, vocals, dancing, and characters. I thought it was great. It felt a little long since it was a long day for me but I powered through and was so happy to see my fellow Unilocalers enjoying themselves. Kudos to Ryan for scoring us tickets to a great show. We are really getting spoiled by these awesome events. I can’t wait to see what’s up next for us! If you’re interested in seeing Memphis, please do! It’s the 2010 Tony award-​winning musical and it has an amazing cast.

I love being a Unilocal Elite.
The parties, the food, the «beverages», the people and the occasional pair of theater tickets. Awesome!
Opening night for the musical Memphis was really great. The production, the story line, the acting, the humor, the singing… those UH-​MAY-​ZING voices… just awesome!
The only negative: the sound was not dialed in yet. Levels were too low (hard to hear the dialog) at the beginning and too loud by the end of the 2^nd act. Other than that a really fantastic show!
THANK YOU SO MUCH to the Segerstrom Center, Unilocal and Ryan C for this awesome experience!

Wow!!! «Memphis» is why I LOVE musicals and I come out to support all who are involved in the production.
Mark Twain: «In those old slave-​holding days the whole community was agreed as to one thing – the awful sacredness of slave property… It shows that that strange thing, the conscience – the unerring monitor – can be trained to approve any wild thing you want it to approve if you begin its education early & stick to it.»
Set design: 3 stars. Smooth transitions between Acts. Creative designs like when a record was playing in the background, they had the band in stage performing and tuning around on a big LP record. (But not like elaborate sets like Wicked).
Humor: 4 stars. Witty lines
Songs: 5 stars! fun, beautiful, and entertaining songs! Thanks to Unilocal,Elites received a FREE CD with 5 songs.
Singing/​Acting. 5++ stars!!! Of course the main girl Felicia was AMAZING! She has a strong powerful voice and her vocal range is incredible! She was this nonstop vocal machine. I wanted to give her a standing ovation multiple times. Huey, her counter partner, wasn’t bad either. ACT 2 highlighted his vocal talent more and he had more solos.
In addition, Huey’s mom can belt it out!!! Omg! None of us in the audience expected her to come out in Act II, and belt it out. Also, some of the side characters were awesome.
Plot/​Story: 5 stars! Memphis is definitely a MUST SEE! You experience with the characters how the racial discrimination affected their personal lives and prohibited certain groups from pursuing their dreams. Its sad that the beautiful and amazing talents were unrecognized and undermined because of segregation. But thanks for some bold, very courageous citizens who risked their lives, reputation, and family safety to challenge the system, the beauty of ones culture can be expressed, appreciated, embraced, and respected.
Memphis will keep you engaged in the social system and «norm» of the 1950s. The language used express the feelings and emotions of that time. You will hear the «n» word, «c» word for whites, mild profanity and sexual innuendoes.
Keep in mind this quote by Mark Twain: «In those old slave-​holding days the whole community was agreed as to one thing – the awful sacredness of slave property… It shows that that strange thing, the conscience – the unerring monitor – can be trained to approve any wild thing you want it to approve if you begin its education early & stick to it.»

Thanks Ryan C. for putting this event on. What you are able to continually pull off for us Unilocalers is AWESOME. Thanks!!!
Great show, great venue. Great opportunity for us Unilocalers. The theater was packed.
Thanks to Trina D. for finding me a spare +1 with Rodney S. so that I could enjoy this show even though I was waitlisted.
Thanks to Rodney S. for being so nice in order to add a friend of a friend as your +1 so that I could enjoy this wonderful Tony Award winning show.
Since I was a +1, I don’t get to enjoy the coupons or the CD, but that’s okay, I was still able to enjoy the show, make a new Unilocal friend and see some old ones I haven’t seen in awhile.

WOW what a wonderful exerpience this was. The voices that these actors and actresses had were beyond amazing. I can hardly believe how awesome this event turned out to be.
I am still thinking WOW. Well I didnt know what to expect of this musical. I knew it would be something fun and new for me to see. It was that and more. Essentially the plot discusses how integration happened through music. Parts of the story were undefined (as in all plays) but this show was beyond outstanding. I dont know anyone who was not completely excited about having seen this one.
PRO TIP: Park at South Coast Plaza and save a few bucks on the parking garages or $ 20 valet costs!
The Segerstrom was an outstanding venue. The sound carries so well in it and the offsetting tiers were visually stimulating and different. I am still happily amazed at how fun it was to experience this show. Multiple banks of elevators and a super wide easy to climb staircase were there to deliver you to the various levels. The exterior of the building was extremely beautiful and a bit atypical as many theatres are nowadays.
This was the second best musical/​play that I have ever seen. I am still in awe of how delightful it was. I have now been to about 15 musicals/​plays so its not like im a newb to the theatre.
Gotta say it was a lot of fun hanging out with a bunch of friends before and during the show; Audrey L, Petey H, Jennilee E, Dani S and some non Unilocalers =) Thank you for the help with tix to Laura S and waiting till we got there to go in even if it cost us a cookie or two haha, its a good thing you took mine at least, since I would be wearing it around my waist right now otherwise. Also fun to see Bob T chilling in the crowd right in front of us!
What a wonderful night is about all I can say about this opening night. It went off without a hitch! Ryan just pulled off one of the two best Unilocal events I have now been to.

So many great reviews — wasn’t sure about writing a review, what would I be able to add?
Free tickets to Opening night for a winner of 4 Tony Awards, including Best Musical — In a well run, beautiful venue, with my wonderful wife, and a chance to say hello to some cool Unilocalers
~ Five stars doesn’t seem to be enough for this evening!
First of all, I need to add my thanks to Ryan for a wonderful opportunity, and a great event!
It was nice meeting him, albeit a brief meeting — we received a warm welcome and it was evident that he recognized/​remembered us from other Unilocal communications.
That type of thing is always appreciated — and just what you’d want from a CM!
Some Unilocaler’s I contacted said they weren’t into this type of thing — but hey, this was no fantasy character, ballroom dancing, whatever type of musical. Memphis features Rhythm and Blues, disc jockeys, the roots of Rock and Roll, and high energy athletic dancing.
What’s not to like? Some may nitpick a few items — but there’s no need for that — it’s entertainment! Memphis provided a thoroughly entertaining evening, as you can tell from most of the reviews — there are laughs, soaring voices that bring great joy and occasionally a few tears. (BTW, one of my degrees is a BA in Drama, so I’m fully qualified to BS about it!)
Opening night featured students from 3 OC high school choirs joining the performance in the orchestra pit and the aisles adding energy to the final number. I liked it.
Occasionally someone will ask «What’s so special about being Elite?»
My memories of last night answer that question completely.
A great date night — Thanks again for having us!

Opening night?! Plus 1’s?!! Swag?! And amazing seats?! Check check check check! Ryan C, if you were up for YAMB re election, you would get my vote! Another successful and chart topping event. Segerstrom Center hosts some of my favorite musicals like Wicked and Mary Poppins, I am definitely adding Memphis to my list. The music, dancing and story line was entertaining and one that envoked all emotion. A love story during a time of segregation; a quirky white guy struggling to find his place in the world with a heart and soul for rhythm and blues music falls in love with a young black singer who dreams of «making it». Though out the musical I found myself falling in love with the characters cheering for the couple, swaying and clapping along to the tunes, and at times silenced by the beauty and vulnerability of vocal performance.
I am stoked on the discount coupons for Memphis performances; I’m telling all my friends that this is a must see (and friends if you want to go LMK i have 2 25% off coupons). With such a short tour, On stage through Nov 18^th you need to get your tickets now!

How was the show? Fastastical!!!
Seriously though what a way to be welcomed into the fold of Unilocal elite. I’m a theater dork, always have been, always will be. I was the teenage girl with signed posters of Les Mis and Phantom on my wall instead of boy bands. I took 4 years each of show choir and drama so this was right up my alley.
What a big thank you we all owe to Ryan because Musicals are not cheap these days. It was a wonderful show full of emotion and drama, music and dancing. That place was fully charged and you could feel it with every collective gasp or laugh. I haven’t had that much fun at a show AND truly believed it told a real story, in a long time. It’s one thing to love a fictional show, it’s an entirely different thing to take such a real time in our nation’s history and make it heartfelt and hard hitting. I tapped my toes and clapped my hands just as much as I shook my head and questioned where we came from.
I thoroughly enjoyed myself and can’t wait to have a chance to meet more of my fellow Unilocalers!!!
Great seats, gorgeous venue, good company and a damn talented cast who could ask for anything more?

I really do love live performances, whether it’s a concert, a show, or in this case a musical. Memphis was quite entertaining, but it’s something you would have to watch. It leads the audience through a $hitstorm roller coaster of music and dance.
Thank you Ryan and the Segerstrom Center for the Arts for letting us Unilocalers become the first to experience Memphis.
We got cool swag: C is for Cookie… it’s good enough for me. A Memphis CD and some coupons for family or friends who may want to enjoy the show as well. This is why we Unilocal

Unilocal cookie? Say what? =)
Thank you Ryan C. for getting us free tickets to such an awesome event and on opening night too! The seats were good, the parking was free, and we even got swag!
Loved the interior of Segerstrom. The acoustics were wonderful. Even sitting in Row P of Tier 1, I swear I could hear the actors breathing. Getting in and out was also a breeze. I was afraid of having to stand in line behind the crowds, but there were multiple exits. Parking across the street at South Coast Plaza was the best idea ever. I saved myself a parking fee and I got to take a nice short walk underneath some sparkly trees with wonderful views of the exterior of the performing arts center. Pretty!
My first elite event with Ryan C. as the new CM. I’m a fan. =)

If I can give a 10 star rating, I would!
The vocals were second to none. Script was well written and the costume design is extraordinary. The venue is super clean and had a great sound system.
You can park across the overpass at the mall and walk over but not recommended if you are wearing high heels as the steps can be extremely hazardous.
Great show! Thank you Ryan!!!

HOCKADOO! (Or is it «HAWKADOO!»?)
So glad that I had to opportunity to have free tickets to the opening night of «Memphis» at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts.
Being who I am, I was the first to arrive. I parked over at South Coast Plaza because I’m too cheap to pay for parking. As Unilocalers arrived, I introduced myself to some & caught up with others, while I was waiting for Grace, who was my +1, and Trina w/​her +1 to arrive.
Temenah & Ashley — Great to see you again! Happy Birthday, Ashley! Are you still inviting me to the party in LB?
Albert — Nice to meet you, brother! Don’t forget to take lots of pics of me at events ;P
Rain — Howdy do! So nice to get to know you. I would’ve never guessed your pinay.
Kevin — Good to see you again, this time w/​o you being afraid & screaming like a girl :).
Laina & Jessica — Always a pleasure. Jess, don’t eat that Unilocal cookie in just one bite, okay? ;P
A little over 10 mins before showtime & Grace & the gang arrive. It didn’t take long before we found our primo seats, smack dab in the middle of the theater. Awesome view of the stage.
«Memphis» was a musical delight. The songs were vibrant, toe-​tapping numbers that made me want to stand up & shake my tailfeathers. The subject matter dealt with racial tension & segregation that pervailed in the South during the time period. Having said that, it was still a feel-​good story, inducing a few goosebumps on occasion, that didn’t quite have the expected ending I was hoping for.
My new Unilocal buddy, Grace, laughed quite a few times during the show, which made me laugh & delightfully enhanced the experience. We shot the breeze over topics such as musicals, food, airlines & the election. Mucho gusto!
Afterwards, a few of us met in the lobby before heading home.
Rosemary — So glad to meet you! Jonathan’s coat really suited you :)
Ryan, thanks for another awesome event! Getting to see shows/​musicals are some of the events I look forward to most. You’re a fine CM and you’re doing a heckuva job. Keep it up!
Excelsior!