MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET, the new musical inspired by the famed 1956 recording session that brought together four of the most legendary figures in the history of rock 'n' roll - Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Elvis Presley - will open at Broadway's Nederlander Theatre, 208 West 41st Street, in April, 2010. Previews will begin March 13, 2010.
MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET is directed by
Eric Schaeffer, features a book by Colin Escott and Floyd Mutrux, and was originally directed and conceived by Mutrux. Casting for the Broadway production is currently underway.
The Chicago production of MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET opened in 2008 and is still playing to packed houses at the
Apollo Theatre where the show will celebrate its first anniversary this Friday.
MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET is produced by Relevant Theatricals,
John Cossette Productions, Northern Lights Inc.,
Broadway Across America, and
James L. Nederlander.
On December 4, 1956, an auspicious twist of fate brought
Johnny Cash, Jerry
Lee Lewis,
Carl Perkins, and
Elvis Presley together. The place was Sun Records' storefront studio in Memphis. The man who made it happen was Sam Phillips, the "Father of Rock 'n' Roll," who discovered them all. The four legends-to-be united for the only time in their careers for an impromptu recording that has come to be known as one of the greatest rock jam sessions of all time.
MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET features a treasure trove of the greatest rock 'n' roll, gospel, R&B and country hits from these music legends, including such iconic songs as "Blue Suede Shoes," "Fever," "Sixteen Tons," "Who Do You Love?," "Great Balls of Fire," "Riders in the Sky," "I Walk the Line," "Folsom Prison Blues," and "Whole Lotta' Shakin' Goin' On." MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET captures the infectious spirit, freewheeling excitement and thrilling sounds of a singular moment when four of the music industry's most extraordinary talents, all in their creative prime, came together for one of the most memorable nights in music history.
For information about the Chicago production of MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET, visit
www.MillionDollarQuartetLive.com.
Follow MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET news on Twitter @milliondquartet
CREATIVE TEAM FOR MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET
Eric Schaeffer (Director) is the acclaimed co-founder and artistic director of the
Signature Theatre in Arlington, VA, where his work has been honored with the 2009 Tony Award for Regional Theatre Excellence as well as numerous
Helen Hayes Awards including Outstanding Direction. He directed Putting it Together and
Glory Days on Broadway, the first national tour of big, The Musical, and the West End debut of The Witches of Eastwick. He also served as artistic director for the Kennedy Center's Sondheim Celebration.
Floyd Mutrux (Co-Book Writer, Original Conception, and Original Direction) apprenticed at the Alley Theater in Houston, Second City in Chicago, and studied theater in New York for five years while attending Columbia University. When he returned to Los Angeles, he created, wrote, directed, or produced 50 plus films including American Hot Wax (multiple Best Picture and Best Director winner, Village Voice, etc.), Scarecrow, (Best Film, Cannes Film Festival), Hollywood Knights, Urban Cowboy, The Untouchables, American Me, Hillside Strangler, Freebie and the Bean, Up in Smoke, Dick Tracy. Along with Colin Escott, Floyd has developed a series of rock 'n' roll driven bios for the stage ("The Fat Man Sings," "Alan Freed Show," "Boy from NYC," "Lonesome Town" with John Kaye, etc.) under the overall title, American Pop Anthology. His projects in development include, Dancing with Myself, Teenage Idol, Brother D (with Ice Cube), Inside Out (Donner Co.), and with Colin Escott, a rock 'n' roll Field of Dreams called Moon Over Memphis.
Colin Escott (Co-Book Writer) is a noted music historian and the author of numerous books including Good Rockin' Tonight - Sun Records and the Birth of Rock 'n' Roll. Escott was awarded a Grammy for producing The Complete
Hank Williams, and was nominated for a Grammy for producing
B.B. King - King of the Blues.
Musical Director Chuck Mead, with multiple hit records, has stood at the forefront of the alternative country music explosion as founder and lead of BR549, the three-time Grammy Award nominated country band.
Relevant Theatricals (Producer) is a commercial
Production Company headed by Gigi Pritzker and Ted Rawlins, dedicated to developing new work for the stage. Current projects include:
F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, which premiered at the
Guthrie Theatre and is on course to open in London next year; Snapshots, a new musical with book by
David Stern and music and lyrics by
Stephen Schwartz; and a new musical version of Dennis The Menace. Relevant's sister company, Odd Lot Entertainment, develops and produces outstanding new film properties.
Current Productions include the feature Rabbit Hole, based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning play by
David Lindsay-Abaire, starring
Nicole Kidman and
Dianne Wiest, and directed by
John Cameron Mitchell. Relevant Theatricals is proud to be part of the producing team that developed Million Dollar Quartet.
John Cossette's (Producer) more than 30-year career in the entertainment and music industry has earned him a respected reputation as an innovative and creative producer of large scale television shows and events. With
John Cossette Productions, Cossette has produced the Grammy Awards for the past 17 years and is the Consulting Producer on the Latin Grammy Awards. Cossette also produces five annual event specials for BET, including The BET Awards, which have become the premier event in Urban Music. Cossette has spearheaded a variety of corporate marketing events. At the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Cossette produced a series of 20 concerts for AT&T, which were attended by more than 2.5 million people. Cossette helped launch the
American Express Blue Card with "Central Park In Blue with
Sheryl Crow & Friends" featuring
Eric Clapton,
Keith Richards and The Dixie Chicks, among others. Among his numerous additional producing credits, Cossette is heavily involved in a number of charitable events. The winner of two NAACP Image Awards, Cossette has produced benefits for the House Ear Institute, The Concern Foundation for Cancer Research, MusicCares, The NARAS Foundation and the Society of Singers. He also helps to underwrite the E.J. Jackson Foundation to feed the homeless in South Central L.A., helping to feed over 15,000 people on Thanksgiving.
Broadway Across America (Producer) is owned and operated by British theatre producer
John Gore (CEO) and entertainment industry veteran
Thomas B. McGrath (Chairman).
Broadway Across America presents first-class touring Broadway musicals and plays, family productions and other live events throughout a network of 40 North American cities. Under the supervision of
Beth Williams (COO & Head of Production),
Broadway Across America is also dedicated to the development and production of new and diverse live theatre for productions on Broadway, across America and throughout the world.
Broadway Across America most recently produced the Broadway productions of Hair, West Side Story, Memphis and the West End production of Breakfast at Tiffany's. Upcoming Broadway productions include the return of
Irving Berlin's White Christmas; Promises, Promises; Million Dollar Quartet; and Minsky's. Touring productions include Nickelodeon's Storytime Live featuring Dora the Explorer and Dreamgirls. For more information on
Broadway Across America or to purchase tickets through an authorized agent go to BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com.
James L. Nederlander (Producer) is the President of the
Nederlander Organization and the son of
James M. Nederlander (Chairman). He is the third generation of a family known for owning and operating theatres around the world as well as theatrical productions, cultural presentations and popular music attractions. Among Mr. Nederlander's producing credits are The
Royal Shakespeare Company's A Midsummer Night Dream,
Peter Brook's The Tragedy of Carmen (recipient of a special Tony Award), Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf starring
Kathleen Turner and
Bill Irwin,
Billy Joel and
Twyla Tharp's Movin' Out, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Legally Blonde and Cyrano de Bergerac starring
Kevin Kline and
Jennifer Garner.
Current Productions include West Side Story and Next To Normal. Mr. Nederlander has also produced
Billy Joel, U2, and Pink Floyd at Yankee Stadium. Upcoming productions include a live show with magician
David Blaine, Million Dollar Quartet, The Addams Family, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Race and The Sinatra/Tharp Project.
Photo by Paul Natkin
