MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET is Back at Geva for a Special Limited Run
By: Julie Musbach May. 30, 2018
As last season's closer, Geva Theatre Center's production of Million Dollar Quartet was a complete sell-out and was extended for an additional week. By popular demand, the show is back for a limited run, special production in the Elaine P. Wilson Stage from June 14 to July 8. With a book by Floyd Mutrux and Colin Escott, based on an original concept by Floyd Mutrux and inspired by the music of Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins, Million Dollar Quartet is directed by Hunter Foster.
On December 4, 1956, four young musicians got together at Sun Records in Memphis for what would become one of the greatest jam sessions ever. Put on your blue suede shoes and join Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash and Carl Perkins for the recording session of a lifetime. Loaded with classic rock 'n roll hits such as "Great Balls of Fire," "Sixteen Tons," "I Walk the Line," "Hound Dog" and many more.
Created by film producer, writer and screenwriter Floyd Mutrux, with a book by Mutrux and rock 'n' roll historian Colin Escott, the worldwide phenomenon that is Million Dollar Quartet premiered at Florida Seaside Music Theatre in 2006. Following productions at the Village Theatre in Washington State and a limited run at The Goodman Theatre in Chicago, it transferred to Chicago's Apollo Theatre 2008. It celebrated its 2500th performance there in September 2014. The show closed on January 2016 and is ranked as the third-longest running show, in terms of calendar span, in Chicago Theatre history. In 2010 it opened at Broadway's Nederlander Theatre where it ran for over a year and was nominated for three Tony Awards including Best Musical and Best Book of a Musical. The Off-Broadway production opened in 2012 and ran for a year at New World Stages. The West End production of Million Dollar Quartet opened in February 2011 and ran at the Noel Coward Theatre for nearly a year. The show has toured the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the UK. "Sun Records," an eight-part TV series based on Million Dollar Quartet, aired on CMT/Viacom in February and April of 2017.
Returning to the roles which they created on the Geva stage last season are Taylor Gray (National Tour of Million Dollar Quartet) as Jerry Lee Lewis (June 7 - July 1); James Ludwig (Original Broadway cast of Monty Python's Spamalot and Little Shop of Horrors) as Sam Phillips; Trent Rowland (Million Dollar Quartet at Casa Mañana and the feature film Carol with Cate Blanchett) as Elvis Presley and Aaron Staebell (Geva productions of In the Heights, Little Shop of Horrors) as Fluke. Making their Geva Theatre Center debuts are Chris Damiano (Chicago, Gateway Theatre and Casa Manana productions of Million Dollar Quartet) as Johnny Cash; Sarah Ellis (1st National Tour of A Gentlemen's Guide to Love and Murder) as Dyanne; Sam Sherwood (New York Productions of Woody Sez at Irish Repertory Theatre and Fancy: A Country Musical) as Carl Perkins; and Dominique Scott (National Tours of Rock of Ages, Boy Band Review and Viper) as Jerry Lee Lewis (July 3 - 8). James David Larson, last seen in Geva's production of The Other Josh Cohen, will appear as Brother Jay.
Hunter Foster returns to Geva to direct this production. In addition to last season's Million Dollar Quartet, he also directed The Other Josh Cohen earlier this season. He is an Artistic Associate at the Bucks County Playhouse where he has directed Company, Ain't Misbehavin', The Buddy Holly Story, National Pastime, The Rocky Horror Show (2013, 2014 and 2016), Summer of '42, It's a Wonderful Life and Clue on Stage. Other directing credits include Cabaret, My Fair Lady (Cape Playhouse), Grease (North Carolina Theatre), Monty Python's Spamalot (Casa Mañana) and he has directed productions of Million Dollar Quartet for the Ogunquit Playhouse, Gateway Playhouse and the Westchester Broadway Theatre. As an actor, Mr. Foster has appeared in Geva productions of Monty Python's Spamalot and Sylvia and is a Tony Award nominee for his performance in the revival of Little Shop of Horrors. Other Broadway credits include Sam Phillips in the original cast of Million Dollar Quartet, The Bridges of Madison County, Hands on a Hardbody, The Producers, Urinetown, Les Misérables, Footloose and many more.
The design team includes Adam Koch (scenic design), Casey McNamara (costume design), Kirk Bookman (lighting design) and Ian Hildreth (sound design). Music Directors are John Michael Presney and Chris Damiano.
Million Dollar Quartet is produced with support from Associate Producer O'Connell Electric Company; and Media Sponsor News10NBC.
Photo: Trent Rowland as Elvis Presley in Geva's 2017 production of Million Dollar Quartet. Photo by HuthPhoto.
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