Audience after audience was left in awe after the Boston Colonial Theater’s production of “Memphis” this winter. The plot of “Memphis” is based on Memphis disc jockey Dewey Philips, who was one of the first white DJs to play African American music in the 1950s. Huey Calhoun (Bryan Fenkart), a quirky white man, falls in love with Felicia (Felecia Boswell). As he falls in love with Felicia, he also falls in love with her powerful music and makes it his sole mission to play her music on the radio. Huey receives brutal public scrutiny as he fights to launch Felicia’s musical career, and his romantic relationship with Felicia only plants more obstacles. The musical’s combination of upbeat songs and inspiring messages created a theater uplifted with energy.
“Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking” by Susan Cain
Susan Cain’s book “Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking” pays tribute to an often undervalued group: introverts. With historical evidence, personal examples, and stories of real people, Cain foils introversion and extroversion. By incorporating examples of today’s successful introverts, she argues that introverts have leadership potential and other distinct qualities that are often overlooked. She claims that introversion does not always deserve the criticism it often receives, and extroversion does not always merit the praise it frequently garners. Cain offers advice on how to best handle introvert-extrovert relationships and on how younger children can best handle their introversion. “Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking” is a fresh perspective that forces us to rethink how we view ourselves and how we see this world of introverts and extroverts.