By James V. Ruocco
"Nothing is more fun than rock and roll" (Elvis Presley)
It was a night to remember.
It was a ground-breaking moment in rock 'n' roll history.
It was an iconic twist of fate.
On December 4, 1956, Sam Phillips - the esteemed "father of rock 'n' roll - brought together four young musicians - Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Elvis Presley- at the Sun Records Studio in Memphis, Tennessee for a "first and one time only" event
The jam?
The pitch?
Impromptu music-making?
A musical banquet?
The result?
Legend calls it - one of the greatest rock 'n' roll jam sessions in music history.
Sadly, they never played collectively again.
That "one-in-a-lifetime session" provides the musical blueprint for Chappaqua Performing Arts Center's upcoming spring production of "Million Dollar Quartet," which is being directed by Tim Seib with musical direction by Trevor Dornor.
The fun begins on April 21.
"Million Dollar Quartet" premiered on Broadway at the Nederlander Theatre on April 11, 2010 with a cast that included Eddie Clendening as Elvis Presley, Lance Guest as Johnny Cash, Levi Kreis as Jerry Lee Lewis, Robert Britton Lyons as Carl Perkins and Hunter Foster as Sam Phillips. Elizabeth Stanley was also featured as Dyanne, the young woman who accompanies Presley to the Sun Records recording studio.
Nominated for three 2010 Tony Awards - Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, Best Featured Actor in a Musical (Kreis won the award for his portrayal of Jerry Lee Lewis) - "Million Dollar Quartet" closed on June 11, 2011 after having played 489 performances and 34 previews.
That same year, "Million Dollar Quartet" opened in London's West End at the Noel Coward Theatre on February 28, 2011 following previews that began on February 8. It closed on January 14, 2012.
The reviews, of course, were spectacular, both on Broadway and in London.
"A dazzling, raucous spectacle that sounds like a million bucks." (New York Magazine)
"A crowd pleaser with knockout performances that keep the joint jumpin' with great balls of fire." (Variety)
" 'Million Dollar Quartet' is a show that taps into all our yesterdays" (The Guardian)
"An enjoyable, feel good musical with a soundtrack to die for." (Independent)
"The hits come thick and fast. The music is recreated in an enjoyably vigorous style." (The Evening Standard)
In Chappaqua, "Million Dollar Quartet" - performed without an intermission - features 23 musical numbers. Smoothly integrated into the framework of the story and its now-legendary jam session, the songs themselves are delivered full volume, full throttle, backed by relentless energy, sweet nostalgia, mid-50's vibe and cool, rebellious conjuring.
Blue Suede Shoes - Company
Real Wild Child - Jerry Lee Lewis
Matchbox - Carl Perkins
Who Do You Love? - Carl Perkins
Folsom Prison Blues - Johnny Cash
Fever - Dyanne
Memories are Made of This - Elvis Presley
That's All Right - Elvis Presley
Brown Eyed Handsome Man - Company
Down by the Riverside - Company
Sixteen Tons - Johnny Cash
My Babe - Carl Perkins
Long Tall Sally - Elvis Presley
Peace in the Valley - Company
I Walk the Line - Johnny Cash
I Hear You Knocking - Dyanne
Party - Carl Perkins and Company
Great Balls of Fire - Jerry Lee Lewis
Down by the Riverside (reprise) - Company
Hound Dog - Elvis Presley
Ghost Riders - Johnny Cash
See You Later Alligator - Carl Perkins
Whole Lotta Shakin' Going On - Jerry Lee Lewis
No comments:
Post a Comment