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Arden’s ‘Holy Grail of Memphis’ is a bluesy new play about race and music

Set in Memphis, the play examines the legacy of 'race records' and asks the question: Who does this music truly belong to?

The cast of Arden Theatre Company’s 2025 production of "Holy Grail of Memphis."
The cast of Arden Theatre Company’s 2025 production of "Holy Grail of Memphis."Read moreAshley Smith, Wide Eyed Studios

From the 1920s to the 1940s, the South saw a surge in “race records”; a term used for recordings of different genres of music made by and for Black people. A lot of these recording artists were swindled out of fair payments by deceptive contracts in predominantly white-owned studios.

The Arden Theatre Company’s world premiere of the play Holy Grail of Memphis by Philly playwright Michael Hollinger examines the legacy of these recordings and raises the question: Who does this music truly belong to?

Set in modern-day Memphis, it’s the story of Newton Stover II (Matteo Scammell) as he intends to play (for the first time ever) rare recordings of a famous bluesman named Alfred “Deaf Duck” Mason (Fred Michael Beam) to new audiences, and open a museum in the old recording studio run by his grandfather, who underpaid Mason and cut him out of any royalties. Financial woes, deadlines, hauntings, and distant relatives all appear to try and thwart Newton’s goodwilled intention.

The cast all do an admirable job with their roles, particularly Newton Buchanan as Derek Benoit, the ethnomusicologist whose expertise on this particular bluesman is the backbone of the museum’s research. He balances nerdy humor with an endearing quality that really makes him a standout. Erin Malimban as the museum’s unpaid intern/media coordinator is also drily hilarious and deadpan. Their shared scene of ghostly communication with Kishia Nixon’s Gigi and Fred Michael Beam’s Deaf Duck Mason is easily one of the show’s funniest moments.

While the story on display is both fascinating and important, there are a few issues with this new work. For a comedy, many of the jokes felt slightly predictable or lacked a sufficient punchline. The timing also sometimes felt off, with actors often rushing through lines without letting them land. Mary Martello as the banker hoping to collect on her loans does not fall victim to this, however, and is able to pull out every zinger and hilarious dig to full effect.

The second issue is more structural. Toward the end of the show, Gigi, a woman of color, graciously tells Newton that they need to leave the past behind and move forward together to make the world a better place. It is a well-intended anecdote, but reaffirms the trope that a marginalized person must be the more altruistic one in the resolution of systemic racist issues. It robs the moment of its intention, especially considering the pain she and her family have been put through. It absolves Newton of addressing the wrongdoings of his family.

It’s a disappointing ending to a show that largely handles the issue of grappling with racist family heritage well. Other characters call out Newton on his family’s legacy, and he even has several moments of atonement for the actions of his grandfather earlier in the piece. The ending is paced well, and keeps you guessing until the final moments as to whether the recordings will actually play.

Overall, Holy Grail of Memphis is an impactful and intriguing new work that, while dissonant with itself at times, still has a lot of heart and music to it.


Holy Grail of Memphis

(Community/Arts) Set in modern day Memphis, the story of a man trying to play rare “race records” for a new audience, but his goodwilled intention faces some resistance.

⌚️ Through March 2,📍 40 N. Second St., 🌐 ardentheatre.org

Theater reviews are produced independently by The Inquirer without editorial input by their sponsor, Visit Philadelphia.