"Million Dollar Quartet" by Colin Escott and Floyd Mutux - North Shore Music Theatre (Beverly, MA.) - REVIEW
(Cover Photo: The CAST of the musical, "MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET" by Colin Escott and Floyd Mutux, now playing at Bill Hanney's North Shore Music Theatre in Beverly, MA. through October 6, 2024. Photo Credit: Paul Lyden)
By Kevin T. Baldwin
METRMAG Reviewer
# 774-242-6724
"Well, I said on come over, baby, whole lotta shakin' goin' on!"
- ("Jerry Lee Lewis") / David "Curly" Williams
North Shore Music Theatre
Presents the
Tony® Award-Winning Musical
"MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET"
Book by Colin Escott and Floyd Mutux
Original Concept and Direction by Floyd Mutux
Inspired by Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins
Directed and Choreographed by Greg Santos
Music Director Sam Sherwood
Cast Includes: Sam Sherwood* as “Carl Perkins,” Blake Burgess* as “Johnny Cash,” Brandon Fillette* as “Jerry Lee Lewis,” Noah Barnes* as “Elvis Presley,” Joe Bentley* as “Brother Jay (Bass Player),” Stephen Blauch* as “Fluke (Drummer),” Zach Cossman* as “Sam Phillips,” Hailie Lucille* as “Dyanne.”
Offstage Understudies: Jonathan Acorn* For “Jerry Lee Lewis,” Chance Michael Wall* For “Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Sam Phillips,” Chris Coffey* For “Brother Jay And Fluke,” Margaret Dudasik* For “Dyanne.”
Understudies are never substituted for listed per unless a specific announcement is made at the time of the performance.
Additional Creative Team:
Scenic Design – Kyle Dixon; Original Costume Design – Travis M. Grant; Lighting Design – Jose Santiago*; Sound Design – Alex Berg; Hair and Wig Design – Rachel Padula-Shufelt; General Manager – Karen Nascembeni; Associate Producer and Casting Director – Dakotah Wiley Horan; Company Manager – Amanda Ostrow-Mason; Production Stage Manager - Stephen MacDonald*; Assistant Stage Manager - Dakotah Wiley Horan*; Assistant Director – Chance Michael Wall
* Member of Actors' Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States
Performances:
September 24, 2024 through October 6, 2024
(Contact Box Office for Exact Times)
TICKETS:
For tickets and information visit www.nsmt.org, call # 978-232-7200, or visit the North Shore Music Theatre box office in person at 54 Dunham Rd., Beverly, MA.
COVID 19 PROTOCOLS
Contact Venue for Most Updated COVID-19 Safety Protocols and Information.
The musical "MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET" hits Bill Hanney's North Shore Music Theatre (NSMT) and is a blazingly hot two hours of Rockabilly and Rock & Roll classics.
Someone captured lightning in a bottle here because this is, unquestionably, the most electric show you will see this fall.
The collective NSMT talent here is simply off the charts.
From harmonies to exquisite staging and execution, this one has it all, folks, including: "The Man in Black," "The King of Rockabilly," "The King of Rock & Roll" and the piano man once hailed as "The Killer."
The Tony® Award-winning "QUARTET" captures the magic of one of the greatest nights in rock-n-roll history as Johnny Cash (Blake Burgess), Carl Perkins (Sam Sherwood), Elvis Presley (Noah Barnes) and Jerry Lee Lewis (Brandon Fillette) all gathered at a recording studio in Memphis.
The performances by these actor-musicians are intended as representational and not as pure imitation - so do not expect to walk away believing in reincarnation or uncanny impersonations as your expectations may not be met.
However, in less than three minutes, once you hear these artists play and sing to raise the roof, you won't even give a damn about that.
Under the fabulous direction and choreography by Greg Santos, along with musical guidance by the show's Music Director, Sam Sherwood (doubling as Perkins), what you can expect to believe is in the talent of the cast and their outstanding musicianship.
Supporting the "QUARTET" are equally impressive musicians Joe Bentley as "Brother Jay" (Carl Perkin's brother) on standup bass and Stephen Blauch as the drummer, “Fluke.”
The music is nearly non-stop, cleverly staged in-the-round, allowing each musician to receive a moment to dazzle the audience with an instrumental solo - and again, just to be crystal clear, there will be MANY dazzling moments.
There is also a fact-based re-enactment here as these actors are portraying these legendary music icons as they were in this earlier time in their lives - they are younger, rougher, simpler, rawer and quite rural.
There is no attempt made in the story by Colin Escott and Floyd Mutux to wash away any of these men's sins nor to make them seem flawless.
They were flawed and undeniably products of their time.
If they hadn't gone into music, they'd probably wind up driving a truck, pumping gas at a two-pump filling station, preaching in a one-room church or working in a doomed lumber mill somewhere.
However, history would prove that they were all also on the cusp of a great fame for which none of them were prepared.
So, given that, they each sought advice from the single person they could all trust implicitly - Sam Phillips (Zach Cossman).
Phillips serves as our guide and narrator of this infamous night - a unique, and actual, meeting of some of the most famous rockers of the period who gathered at Sun Records in Memphis, TN on Dec. 4, 1956.
Cossman gives a refreshingly frank portrayal of Phillips, a man who was both mentor and businessman for this collection of icons that could be considered the "Mount Rushmore of Rock & Roll" (Note: that is, if one were to eliminate the overwhelming contributions made by earlier African American artists like Chuck Berry who had a profound influence and impact on the budding genre).
Later, Cossman surprises with a skilled harmonic solo during the show's incredible finale - a finale, by the way, which CANNOT BE MISSED so do not, DO NOT, DO NOT leave early to hit that parking lot. (You have been cautioned)
If you enjoy this music, though, you won't WANT to leave. In fact, at the September 25th performance, if the fun had gone on for another hour, nobody would have complained.
Presley, Perkins, Cash and Lewis all met and held a spontaneous jam session where an iconic photograph of the quartet was taken.
But before that moment happens, we are treated to a two-hour jam session unlike any other in music history.
(Photo: Brandon Fillette as “Jerry Lee Lewis" in a wild moment from the musical, "MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET" by Colin Escott and Floyd Mutux, at Bill Hanney's North Shore Music Theatre in Beverly, MA. through October 6, 2024. Photo Credit: Paul Lyden)
Phillips is unaware that he is about to lose these men from his record label, shortly after the historical photo was taken, as each had already begun to sign with different record labels before this night.
Representing the several women who were actually present during the real recording is the composite character of Dyanne (Hailie Lucille), a strong, sultry female presence as Elvis’ girlfriend who sings a steamy rendition of "Fever" and a fun take on "I Hear You Knockin'."
The Dyanne character, based on Elvis’ real girlfriend at the time, dancer Marilyn Evans (by some accounts, the real Evans was closer to a casual friend than romantically involved with Elvis), is not only an observer of the action but also becomes an integral part of the performance dynamic.
Lucille is a powerhouse belter (who later also showcases a lilting soprano), also providing an outsider's perspective on these men - to reduce their respective and collective legend and make their humanity a little more accessible to the audience.
Even though this is a “jukebox musical” the Escott/Mutux true story construct about this gathering of music icons works well with songs chosen to be performed.
All of the actor-musicians in "MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET" get several moments to shine in the spotlight, many times backing each other up which is where the show excels.
The enthusiasm of the performers on stage is absolutely infectious, drawing us in and making us all feel like we are one hundred percent at this party with them.
(Photo: Joe Bentley as “Brother Jay (Bass Player),” Stephen Blauch as “Fluke (Drummer)" and Hailie Lucille as “Dyanne” in a moment from the musical, "MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET" by Colin Escott and Floyd Mutux, now playing at Bill Hanney's North Shore Music Theatre in Beverly, MA. through October 6, 2024. Photo Credit: Paul Lyden)
Sam Sherwood as "The King of Rockabilly," Carl Perkins, is a phenomenal electric guitarist throughout the show, especially kicking it old school on the Perkins classics "Who Do You Love" and "See You Later Alligator."
One cannot help but also be sympathetic to Perkins as portrayed here.
Still young and stung by Elvis’ unanticipated success on the "Ed Sullivan Show" performing Perkins’ "Blue Suede Shoes," Perkins understood, and justly so, how that iconic song would never again be thought of as his own as a result.
Sherwood makes us believe this was almost as significant as the death of a child.
Also serving as much of the show's comedy relief is Brandon Fillette who gives us a glimpse of the fun, frenzied, volatile, unapologetic and unrelenting personality that was "The Killer," Jerry Lee Lewis.
At certain sections of this theatre in-the-round show, you will not be able to take your eyes off this performer play, so immersed in and intense as the hyperactive character that he never lets up for an instant once the show begins and he sings "Wild One (Real Wild Child)."
If you're wondering if you will hear "Great Balls of Fire" and "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" - of course you will - and Fillette's piano playing, just like the Killer's, is one big great ball of fire.
(Photo: Brandon Fillette as “Jerry Lee Lewis,” Sam Sherwood as “Carl Perkins,” Blake Burgess as “Johnny Cash” and Noah Barnes as “Elvis Presley" in an iconic photo re-enactment as seen in the musical, "MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET" by Colin Escott and Floyd Mutux, now playing at Bill Hanney's North Shore Music Theatre in Beverly, MA. through October 6, 2024. Photo Credit: Paul Lyden)
As the "Man in Black," Johnny Cash, Blake Burgess has an incredible voice with an equally impressive bass which seemingly has no "basement" to it.
Burgess excels on the Cash classics "Folsom Prison Blues," "Sixteen Tons," "(Ghost) Riders in the Sky" and "I Walk the Line."
The character of Cash, as written for this show, seems like a caring, somewhat puritanical older brother bent on trying to keep the family (the "Sun Recording" family) at peace.
Then again, Burgess also has a unique, inciteful moment as Cash in an intense exchange as he puts one of the characters in their place when they get out of line...you can probably easily guess which character.
With Burgess' sensitive portrayal of Cash, we witness young Cash as more of a sympathetic character having to ultimately confess to "father figure" Phillips about signing on to a new label.
(Photo: The CAST of the musical, "MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET" by Colin Escott and Floyd Mutux, now playing at Bill Hanney's North Shore Music Theatre in Beverly, MA. through October 6, 2024. Photo Credit: Paul Lyden)
Which brings us to the one and only "King of Rock & Roll" - Elvis.
Noah Barnes does not totally look nor sound like Elvis and, quite honestly, his hair "tries too hard" - but, again, none of the performances are strictly intended to be seen as impersonation.
Barnes is charismatic, providing us with a glimpse of a younger Elvis - one on the cusp of world-wide movie success having just appeared in "Love Me Tender."
This Elvis is being pulled in multiple directions, feeling more like a lost prince than a king of any kind.
So, he returns (retreats) to Sun to seek advice from his mentor and one man who "shoots straight" - Phillips.
This also explains, if one wonders why ALL of the characters refer to Phillips as "Mr. Phillips" and not "Sam," there is a simply reason for this - respect.
Barnes nails the tunes "Long Tall Sally," "That's All Right" and "Hound Dog" supported by the on-stage musicians which provides some of the most exhilarating moments of the evening.
There are also several group songs such as "Down By the Riverside" and "Peace in the Valley" which are unforgettable in their harmonic beauty.
All of these intersecting backstories and plot twists that supposedly took place during this historic gathering is highlighted by an abundance of electrifying songs played expertly with pure adrenaline and passion.
"MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET" continues in Beverly at the North Shore Music Theatre until October 6th and - make no mistake - there really is a "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On.”
So, don’t miss out and, after you see the show, treat yourself by getting another ticket and seeing it again!
Coming up next at Bill Hanney's North Shore Music Theatre will be "TITANIC THE MUSICAL" by Maury Yeston and Peter Stone beginning October 29th, 2024.
For tickets and information visit www.nsmt.org, call (978) 232-7200, or visit the North Shore Music Theatre box office in person at 54 Dunham Rd., Beverly, MA.
Approximately two hours with one intermission.
Kevin T. Baldwin is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association (ATCA)
@MetrmagReviews
@Theatre_Critics
ABOUT THE SHOW
On December 4, 1956, an auspicious twist of fate brought together four young musicians – Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Elvis Presley. Sam Phillips, the undisputed “Father of Rock ‘n’ Roll” who was responsible for launching the careers of each of these icons, gathered the four legendary singer/songwriters at the Sun Records studio in Memphis for the first and only time.
The result? One of the greatest rock ‘n’ roll jam sessions in history.
"MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET" brings that unbelievable musical moment to life with an irresistible tale of broken promises, secrets, betrayal, humor, celebration, unforgettable performances of such timeless and enduring hits as “Blue Suede Shoes,” “Fever,” “That’s All Right,” “Sixteen Tons,” “I Walk the Line,” “Great Balls of Fire,” “Folsom Prison Blues,” “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On,” “Hound Dog,” and more.
The cast of actors portraying the four legends in this jukebox musical certainly hold the likeness to the original artists.
"MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET" won a Tony® Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical and received two Tony® nominations, one for Best Musical and one for Best Book of a Musical(Colin Escott and Floyd Mutrux).
The show received an Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical, a Drama Desk nomination for Outstanding Musical Revue, and three Drama League nominations including Distinguished Production of a Musical and Distinguished Performance!
RUNNING TIME: Approximately 2 hours (includes intermission)
CONTENT ADVISORY: This production contains mild language, alcohol use, smoking, and mature content.
Recommended for ages 12 and older. We do encourage you to use your judgment based on your own research of the show, your own sensibilities, and a child's age and maturity level.No children under the age of 4 will be permitted in the theatre including babes in arms.
ABOUT BILL HANNEY'S NORTH SHORE MUSIC THEATRE
Since opening in 1955, NORTH SHORE MUSIC THEATRE (NSMT) has become one of the most attended theatres in New England, with approximately 250,000 patrons annually. With a national and regional reputation for artistic achievement, NSMT has received numerous industry awards including Elliot Norton Awards, IRNE Awards, the Rosetta Le Noire Award from Actors' Equity, and the Moss Hart Award. NSMT produced the World Premiere of "Memphis" in 2003, the show went on to win four 2010 Tony Awards including Best Musical. Under the new ownership of Bill Hanney since 2010, NSMT continues to annually produce a musical subscription series and an annual production of "A Christmas Carol" along with celebrity concerts, children's programming and year-round education classes for children and adults.
54 Dunham Road
Beverly, MA 01915
PHONE # 978-232-7200
FAX # 978-232-9999
northshoremusictheatre@nsmt.org
