\u201cMillion Dollar Quartet\u201d is about much more than a legendary jam session 70 years ago by four teen idols in a Memphis, Tenn., recording studio.<\/p>\n
An epoch dawned that night when four young men, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley, blended their voices, music instruments and egos.<\/p>\n
Rockabilly, boogie-woogie, country, rhythm and blues and gospel were jammed into the Sunbeam Mixmaster that was Sam Phillips\u2019 Sun Studio to produce the concoction we know as rock \u2018n\u2019 roll. Popular music in the United States, western civilization and the world would never be the same.<\/p>\n
As it\u2019s said in \u201cMillion Dollar Quartet\u201d: \u201cRock \u2018n\u2019 roll isn\u2019t a fad. It\u2019s a revolution.\u201d<\/p>\n
The PA Shakespeare Festival production of \u201cMillion-Dollar Quartet,\u201d through June 28, Main Stage, Labuda Center for the Arts, DeSales University, recreates the star-studded night with superb performances in song and memorable staging in a thought-provoking musical drama.<\/p>\n
What\u2019s more, \u201cMillion Dollar Quartet\u201d is a terrific rock \u2018n\u2019 roll show that you will long remember.<\/p>\n
The June 13 performance was seen for this review.<\/p>\n
The original Broadway production was nominated for three Tony Awards in 2010. The musical, with book by Floyd Mutrux and Colin Escott, is based on a true story.<\/p>\n
A recording of the impromptu jam session of Perkins, Lewis, Cash and Presley was made Dec. 4, 1956, in Sun Studio.<\/p>\n
An article by Bob Johnson about the session in the Memphis Press-Scimitar newspaper was headlined \u201cMillion Dollar Quartet.\u201d<\/p>\n
The album of the session was released in 1981 as \u201cThe Million Dollar Quartet\u201d with 17 tracks, and in 1990 as \u201cThe Complete Million Dollar Session\u201d when more tracks were found.<\/p>\n
The musical departs from the actual jam session with 10 songs in the first act and 13 songs (with one reprise) in the second act of mostly hits recorded by each star, including \u201cBlue Suede Shoes\u201d (Perkins), \u201cGreat Balls of Fire\u201d (Lewis), \u201cI Walk the Line\u201d (Cash) and \u201cHound Dog\u201d (Presley).<\/p>\n
It\u2019s difficult to single out one song or one performer in the show. They\u2019re all great. Each is a triple-threat in singing, acting and dancing. They convey the persona of each star while adding nuances of their own without becoming impersonators. They imbue each performer with spirit, energy and loving respect.<\/p>\n
Jeremy Sevelovitz (Carl Perkins) is an enticing vocalist (\u201cMatchbox\u201d), who plays tasty and blazing licks on his electric guitar. He plays the guitar behind his back and, at one point, stands on top of the bass, played vigorously and impeccably by Chuck Zayas (brother Jay Perkins), without missing a lick.<\/p>\n
Dominique Scott (Jerry Lee Lewis), the show\u2019s music director, provides musical hijinks on the piano, including playing blindfolded and bending over backwards atop the piano as he sings and shouts and hits the keys (\u201cWhole Lotta Shakin\u2019 Goin\u2019 On\u201d).<\/p>\n
Chance Michael Wall (Johnny Cash) has the laconic swagger and edgy insouciance of the \u201cMan in Black,\u201d strumming an acoustic guitar and singing in a baritone growl (\u201cFolsom Prison Blues\u201d).<\/p>\n
Nick Voss (Elvis Presley) has the looks, moves and voice as he swivel-hips, tip-toes and glides his way through the King of Rock \u2018n\u2019 Roll\u2019s hits (\u201cThat\u2019s All Right Mama\u201d).<\/p>\n
The four lead actors\u2019 voices blend beautifully on \u201cDown By the Riverside.\u201d<\/p>\n
Shannon Mullen (Dyanne, Elvis\u2019s girlfriend) portrays a sultry addition (\u201cFever\u201d).<\/p>\n
Mike Lucchetti (Fluke, drummer) has a nonstop beat.<\/p>\n
John Gardiner (Sam Phillips) anchors the show with informative narration and a vulnerability concerning the business of the music business.<\/p>\n
The high-stakes of contracts, loyalties and royalties is emphasized in the show\u2019s direction by Jim Helsinger, Artistic Director, Orlando Shakespeare Theater.<\/p>\n
Helsinger underscores the show\u2019s inherent drama in personality conflicts and the lure of money. Helsinger doesn\u2019t miss an opportunity for the actors to emphasize the show\u2019s numerous comedic moments.<\/p>\n
Scenic Designer Bert Scott created a detailed and believable recording studio.<\/p>\n
Lighting Designer Eric T. Haugen has fun with blocks of flashing pastel lights and lighting shifts.<\/p>\n
Costume Designer Lisa Zinni outfits the performers in attire true to the times.<\/p>\n
Music Director Dominique Scott, Sound Designer David M. Greenberg and Guitar Technician Adam Delmedico keep the vocals and instrumentation in balance, not always easy with electric instruments and a drum kit. C.F. Martin & Co. provided their D-18 and D-28 acoustic guitars.<\/p>\n
You don\u2019t have be to a fan of rock \u2018n\u2019 roll to enjoy \u201cMillion Dollar Quartet,\u201d but if you are a fan, the PA Shakespeare Festival production of this modern classic is a must-see and must-hear. To quote Chuck Berry: \u201cHail, hail, rock \u2018n\u2019 roll.\u201d At the conclusion of the two-hour show, your standing ovation will include you dancing at your seat.<\/p>\n
\u201cMillion Dollar Quartet,\u201d 7:30 p.m. June 10, 11, 12, 18, 19, 24, 25, 26; 2 p.m., 7:30 p.m. June 13, 17, 27; 2 p.m. June 14, 21, 28; 6:30 p.m. June 16, 23, PA Shakespeare Festival, Main Stage Theater, Labuda Center for the Performing Arts, DeSales University, 2755 Station Avenue, Center Valley. 610-282-9455, https:\/\/pashakespeare.org\/<\/p>\n
PHOTO BY KRISTY MCKEEVERNick Voss (Elvis Presley), \u201cMillion Dollar Quartet,\u201d PA Shakespeare Festival.<\/p>\n
PHOTO BY KRISTY MCKEEVERLeft to right: Jeremy Sevelovitz (Carl Perkins), Nick Voss (Elvis Presley), Dominique Scott (Jerry Lee Lewis), Chance Michael Wall (Johnny Cash), \u201cMillion Dollar Quartet,\u201d PA Shakespeare Festival.<\/p>\n
PHOTO BY KRISTY MCKEEVERLeft to right: Dominique Scott (Jerry Lee Lewis), Jeremy Sevelovitz (Carl Perkins), Nick Voss (Elvis Presley), Chance Michael Wall (Johnny Cash), Shannon Mullen (Dyanne), \u201cMillion Dollar Quartet,\u201d PA Shakespeare Festival.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\u201cMillion Dollar Quartet\u201d is about much more than a legendary jam session 70 years ago by four teen…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":222101,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[153,155,154],"class_list":["post-222100","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-bethlehem","tag-bethlehem","tag-bethlehem-headlines","tag-bethlehem-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/222100","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=222100"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/222100\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/222101"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=222100"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=222100"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=222100"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}