BWW Q&A: Devon Hayakawa on MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET at Stolp Island Theatre

Four Legends. One Night. Music History Made.

On December 4, 1956, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins had a musical encounter at Sun Studio in Memphis. What transpired 
was one of the greatest impromptu jam sessions in music history.

The music that filled the studio that fateful night delves into the foundation of Blues, Country, Rock and Rockabilly, including “Blue Suede Shoes,” “Walk 
the Line,” “Great Balls of Fire,” and more.

You’ll experience the highs and lows of these four legends as they navigate the intricacies of fame, and the personal price they pay to live the dream.

Meet the rockin' cast of Million Dollar Quartet! Garrett Forrestal (as Jerry Lee Lewis), Bill Scott Sheets (as Johnny Cash), Alex Swindle (as Elvis Presley), and Christopher Wren (playing Carl Perkins.) Also, Jake Saleh (as Brother Jay), Lior Shragg (as Fluke), Madison Palmer (as Dyanne) and last but not least, Sam Pearson (playing Sam Phillips.)

Devon Hayakawa (any pronouns) is a multidisciplinary theatre artist based in Chicago. Their work has been seen in many capacities at Paramount - onstage in Fun Home and Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, as Production Dramaturg for What the Constitution Means to Me, Billy Elliot, and most recently, Million Dollar Quartet, as Assistant Director for Frozen and Cats, backstage as a Young Performer Supervisor for Billy Elliot, and next door at Paramount School of the Arts as an educator. Devon has also worked with Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Drury Lane, Remy Bumppo, Bramble Theatre, Chicago Dramatists, and Theo Ubique. devonhayakawa.com.

Tell us a little about your role at Paramount. What types of work hats have you worn there?

I'm very grateful for the opportunities Paramount has given to me over the past few years. Both shows I performed in as an actor (Fun Home and Charlie and The Chocolate Factory), I hold near and dear to my heart. I've had the joy of dramaturging a play in the Copley, a large-scale musical in their main Broadway space, and the immersive production of Million Dollar Quartet over at Stolp Island Theatre, all of which presented unique challenges that were exciting to solve. I had a blast teaching camp at Paramount School of the Arts this summer, and I'm really looking forward to making my Assistant Directing debut this season!

What were some of the topics that you helped the cast with while working as a dramaturg on Million Dollar Quartet?

Million Dollar Quartet is such a beloved piece, and honoring the history of these musicians and the legacy of Sun Records was my main goal. My role was to provide any information the actors may not have known about the real-life people they were playing, and to help answer any historical questions that arose throughout the process.

Why do you think MDQ has such a wide appeal with audiences?

There are two main reasons I can think of: music and story. This show features music that's lasted the test of time -- Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Johnny Cash all wrote songs that people are still humming even today, and a lot of folks who come out to see Million Dollar Quartet grew up listening to them. That music left a lasting impact on them, and this is a show that's happy to celebrate these artists and their work. As for the story, Co-Director Creg Sclavi put it best in his program note: This is a play with music. The music doesn't forward the plot, but rather, it's integral to the characters in the show and their lives. The script doesn't suffer from any plot-shoehorning, it's just a night at Sun Records.

As a dramaturg, is it sometimes difficult to balance the authenticity of a time period with expectations from today's audiences? Got any interesting examples of that with Million Dollar Quartet?

Finding the balance between truth and story can be difficult sometimes, especially when productions want to be as historically accurate as possible. I think Million Dollar Quartet does a great job of uplifting these artists, but I almost wish the script uplifted the Black artists on Sun Records' roster at the time a little bit more, like The Prisonaires and Little Junior Parker. Unfortunately, theatres aren't at liberty to make changes to the script, but I think Paramount did a lovely job of acknowledging them where we could in the few lines that reference these wonderful artists in the show, and by using the immersive lobby space as a place to give those artists some credit where credit is due. I was very passionate about including the artists that directly inspired Presley, Lewis, Perkins, and Cash, and I'm glad that came to fruition in the immersive display.

Can you walk us through your process as a dramaturg?

To answer this question, I should let you in on how I define dramaturgy! As I understand it, dramaturgy is the exploration and understanding of the world of the play based on both the play itself and the way in which it engages with the world we live in.

A lot of my work is done before rehearsals even start. I curate a dramaturgy packet that the Production Team and cast can use as they begin their work on the show. This usually features any important historical context and highlighting how history connects back to the heart of the show. I like to be a resource for the team during the rehearsal process --my door is always open for questions, and I work to get the answers back to the team as soon as I can manage it. As for the lobby display, it varies from production to production, but I love to find ways to invite our audiences to start thinking about the world of the play and leave them thinking about the play's impact on the way home! When I can, I love to create displays that encourage audience participation-- that way, they're a part of the story we're telling!

What character most resonates with you in MDQ, and why?

I'd have to say Dyanne. She came in, she kicked butt, and she showed a bunch of men that she's an absolute legend! That's the energy I'm hoping to bring to every room.

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