![]() ![]() Assembled from hither and yon around the country, all four of the titular performers have been involved in past productions of the musical. Here they’re largely a collection of hits designed to give each of the stars a chance to shine.Īnd shine they do. Only a few of the songs in the show seem to have actually been in the original jam session. The emphasis is, rightly, on the music in this jukebox musical celebrating the electrifying early days of rock ’n’ roll. A charismatic Brittany Danielle sings a few numbers (including a sultry “Fever”) as Dyanne, a mostly fictional singer girlfriend of Elvis, who did in fact bring a dancer girlfriend along on his visit that day. Taking place inside Josh Smith’s impressively detailed recording studio set, the story is narrated by a reminiscing Phillips, played with avuncular amiability by Michael Ray Wisely. There’s a bit of clashing egos and simmering resentments to add some drama, but it doesn’t amount to much. There’s a tiny bit of a plot around legendary record producer Sam Phillips having a big decision to make, and about the performers whose careers he shaped now outgrowing his small but revolutionary label. Lewis, for instance, is still a relative unknown, brought in to play piano on a recording session for Perkins, who’s looking for his next big hit after “Blue Suede Shoes.” Writers Colin Escott and Floyd Mutrux add a little biographical context about where each performer is at that point in his career. There’s also a smaller Palo Alto Players production opening at Palo Alto’s Lucie Stern Theatre while the Center Rep run plays in Walnut Creek’s Lesher Center for the Arts. This “Million Dollar Quartet” originally premiered in Florida 50 years after the event it portrays and later went on to play Broadway and London’s West End. The musical of the same name that kicks off Center Repertory Company’s 50th season is a heavily fictionalized recreation of that event, or perhaps more accurately an idealized version. Although their jam session was written up in the papers at the time, it wasn’t until the 1980s that the resulting recordings were released commercially as the “Million Dollar Quartet.” 4, 1956, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis all happened to stop by the Sun Records studio at the same time and starting jamming together. Lamb's associate artistic chief Kerry Meads directs with plenty of pop, and Mathys Herbert's vintage studio set, Jemima Dutra's period costumes, Nathan Peirson's lighting and Patrick Duffy's sound all complement the action.Ī million bucks may not buy what it used to, but when it comes to giving a glimpse of history, this show feels right on the money. And Katie Sapper, as Elvis' gal Dyanne, puts up a drop-dead rendition of "Fever" and returns for a playful and potent "I Hear You Knockin'." Brinskele has a good look for Elvis, and has mastered the King's shimmy-and-shake his voice is also the right kind of velvety for the softer songs, although he seemed to struggle a bit with tone on such hard-charging tunes as "Hound Dog" in an opening-week performance.Īnd then there's Van Diepen (who's also the production's musical director) as Lewis: Funny, frenetic, and completely in his element as this piano-pounding showman, powering irresistibly through such show highlights as "Real Wild Child" and (of course) "Great Balls of Fire."Īlthough the story relegates them mostly to the background, Mackenzie Leighton (as bassist Brother Jay) and Brian Dall (as drummer Fluke) make for a simmering rhythm section. Benowitz is an ace on guitar as Perkins, and lends lots of brash attitude (and fine vocals) to the show.
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