On December 4, 1956, one man brought Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Elvis Presley together for the first and only time in an impromptu jam session . . . His name was Sam Phillips . . . The place was Memphis, Tennessee’s Sun Records . . . That night, they made rock and roll history with the four legends later described as the “Million Dollar Quartet.”
“Goodness gracious, great balls of fire,” Duluth Playhouse’s opening night audience for Million Dollar Quartet was treated to a rollicking good time that was part history, part jukebox Broadway musical, and, most of all, a thoroughly engaging classic rock and roll concert.
While the talented quartet was engaged from their opening “Blue Suede Shoes” to their full-throttle final encores, it took the reserved audience a while to warm up, but by show’s end, they were clapping, dancing, singing, and cheering for the jubilant curtain call.
Most of the crowd included those of the senior “persuasion” who were very familiar with these songs and artists. The show, however, would certainly be enjoyed by younger audiences who might be surprised at how much they would like classic rock and roll and the chance to learn about this music’s roots. Hopefully, the Playhouse will push student rush tickets for the rest of the run.
Bringing together four performers from across the U.S., the Playhouse did not cast look-alike impersonators, but rather talented actors who could not only expertly play their musical instruments but also sing convincingly tunes from the catalogs of these four legends.
As Jerry Lee Lewis, Wyatt Andrew Brownell had the most significant instrumental challenge of the evening, recreating the over-the-top lightning speed and musical gimmicks of the famed piano-playing rocker. While Brownell had less of the athletic prowess of his real-life counterpart, he makes up for it with good ol’ boy country charm. Building up steam at the keyboard and setting the keys “on fire” with “Great Balls of Fire” and “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On,” he left the audience wanting more.
Playing the least flashy and lesser-known role of the four is Drew Black as Carl Perkins. Even though he was the composer of many rock classic standards, including “Blue Suede Shoes” and “Honey Don’t,” he never achieved the stardom of the other three. Black’s standout moments in the show are with “Matchbox” and “See You Later Alligator,” where he gets to showcase both his vocals and impressive guitar playing.
Johnny Cash’s iconic bass-baritone voice, whether singing gospel or other musical styles, made him a singing legend. Actor Davis Wood’s interpretations of a few of Cash’s hits, including “Folsom Prison,” “Sixteen Tons,” “I Walk the Line,” and “Ghost Riders in the Sky,” were audience favorites, and as the show went on, Wood’s lush bass notes got fuller and deeper, eliciting audible gasps from the crowd.
Standout of the evening was Equity actor Trevor Lindley Craft’s knock-out performance as Elvis. His vocals were masterful throughout, even starting with the Dean Martin songs that Phillips warned him to leave in the dust and going on with terrific renditions of a few Elvis hits, “That’s Alright Mama” and “Long Tall Sally.”
By show’s end, Craft broke out all the patented Elvis gyrations and had the crowd screaming with the iconic “Hound Dog.” He has the identifiable Elvis sneer down cold and sports the patented stray forehead lock. Craft’s performance was fearless and flawless in bringing the young star of the quartet to life.
Besides their solo and group rock songs, the quartet has some gorgeous, quiet moments together with their tight harmonies on gospel tunes “Down by the Riverside” and “Peace in the Valley.”
Dan Prevette, playing Sam Phillips, head of Sun Records and under-appreciated music producer, was effective as both storyteller and historian. Trying to balance the egos and contracts of these powerhouses before they were legends, Prevette also showed Phillips’s instincts in recognizing what they would become and having the wisdom to tape this once-in-a-lifetime music session for posterity.
Tyler Railey as Dyanne, the show’s lone female performer, looked like a cross between Marilyn Monroe and Jayne Mansfield, playing Elvis’s girlfriend (pre-Priscilla). Bailey belts out some sultry vocals with her solos “Fever” and “I Hear You Knockin” and provides strong harmonies in a few ensemble songs.
Besides the four actors providing the show’s instrumentals, the other two onstage musicians and actors were Mark Glen on bass (playing Jay Perkins, Carl’s brother) and Kurt Savela (playing Fluke Holland, Perkins’s drummer), both seasoned musicians who had fun with their roles. Kudos to Music Director Dylan Reed-Fuglestad for tight instrumentals and powerful vocal work throughout.
Bravo also to the Playhouse technical team, who met all the challenges of this complex extravaganza, including Sound Designer Nick Gosen, Costume Designer Teddy McMahon, Props Designer Carrie Powers Greer, and Light Designer Jeff Brown.
Curtis Phillips’s impressive two-story Sun Records studio set helped to recreate that fateful night in what was once a deserted auto repair shop that later became a cultural landmark.
Welcome to new Playhouse Associate Director, Charlie Sutton, who makes his Playhouse debut with Million Dollar Quartet. He brings his Broadway acting and dancing experience and his Associate Directing and Broadway choreography credits to this challenging show.
Playhouse audiences got a great first look at his talent and expertise with this production and have much to look forward to with other shows that he will direct this season. (Read more about Sutton in his profile at destinationduluth.co/CharlieSuttonProfile)
Information on Million Dollar Quartet
Book by Colin Escott and Floyd Mutrux
Original Concept and Direction by Floyd Mutrux
Inspired by Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Carl Perkins
Remaining Run Dates:
September 18 – 28, 2025
Thursdays – Saturdays at 7:30pm
Sunday Matinees at 2pm
ASL Interpretation: September 19 at 7:30 pm
Location:
Duluth Playhouse at the NorShor Theatre
211 E. Superior St., Duluth, MN 55802
Tickets:
Visit the box office at the NorShor Theatre Monday-Friday 10am-5pm, call 218-733-7555, or visit: destinationduluth.co/DPHMillionDollarQuartet
