The title refers to the name given to an impromptu recording session made in 1956 in Memphis, Tennessee with Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Johnny Cash. We see a behind-the-curtain look at four small town good old boys on their way to stardom.
The entire show takes place at Sun Records, a storefront recording studio where each of these performers truly began their careers. Sam Phillips (Brian McCaskill), often called the “Father of Rock ‘n Roll,” discovered all four. Sam kept a tape rolling during the entire session, but there was no clean tape to make into a recording to sell. Nonetheless, what takes place is one of the greatest jam sessions ever.
Solid performers bring these legends and their music alive on the Goodman stage. Rob Lyons is Carl Perkins; Lance Guest is Johnny Cash (close your eyes and you truly hear his voice); Eddie Clendening handles young Elvis Presley; and you will absolutely go nuts over Levi Kreis as Jerry Lee Lewis (he is all over the place and never misses a beat).
All of these performers/actors bring great energy to their renditions of “Blue Suede Shoes,” “Rock Island Line,” “Ballad of a Teen Age Queen,” “Sixteen Tons,” “Ghost Riders in the Sky,” and “Great Balls of Fire,” plus many others in this one-hour and 40 minute production.
Kelly Lamont portrays Dyanne, Elvis’s “girlfriend” who is a combination of many woman that Elvis dated and sings “Fever” as well.
The back up musicians, Chuck Zayas and Billy Shaffer, never leave the stage and play an important part of the show despite their having no lines.
The Owen Theatre at The Goodman provides an intimate venue which works well for a production like this—no matter where you sit, you will be able to see, hear, and enjoy the music of this era. You will tap your feet, clap your hands, and nearly jump out of your seat to dance.
Million Dollar Quartet
The Owen Theater at The Goodman Theater
170 N. Dearborn, Chicago
Tickets: 312-443-3800 or at www.goodmantheatre.org
Closes: Oct. 26
Alan Bresloff writes about theater in the Chicago area.
