The national tour of the Broadway musical "Million Dollar Quartet" will make its Cleveland premiere April 28 at 7:30 p.m. at the Bologna Performing Arts Center .The national tour of the Broadway musical “Million Dollar Quartet,” inspired by the electrifying true story, will make its Cleveland premiere April 28 at 7:30 p.m. at the Bologna Performing Arts Center as the final performance of the BPAC’s 2014-15 20th Anniversary Season.
The international Tony® Award-Winning musical is set on Dec. 4, 1956, when an auspicious twist of fate brought Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Elvis Presley together. Sam Phillips, the “Father of Rock ‘n’ Roll,” who was responsible for launching the careers of each icon, gathered the four legendary musicians at the Sun Records storefront studio in Memphis for the first and only time. The resulting evening became known as one of the greatest rock ‘n’ roll jam sessions in history.
“Million Dollar Quartet” brings that legendary night to life with an irresistible tale of broken promises, secrets, betrayal and celebrations featuring timeless hits including “Blue Suede Shoes,” “That’s All Right,” “Sixteen Tons,” “Great Balls of Fire,” “I Walk the Line,” “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On,” “See Ya Later, Alligator,” “Fever,” “Folsom Prison Blues,” “Hound Dog” and more.
The show is directed by Eric Schaeffer and features a book by Colin Escott and Floyd Mutrux. The design team includes: Derek McLane, scenic design; Howell Binkley, lighting design; Jane Greenwood, costume design; Kai Harada, sound design; and Chuck Mead, musical arrangements and supervision.
When the Broadway production opened in April of 2010, critics and audiences leapt to their feet in unanimous praise. The New York Times called the show, “a buoyant new musical that whips the crowd into a frenzy.” New York Magazine labeled it, “a dazzling raucous spectacle that sounds like a million bucks,” and NY1 called it, “Ninety minutes of platinum grade entertainment.” The musical continued its successful New York engagement at New World Stages through June of 2012.
The longest running musical production in Chicago’s history, the show opened in 2008 and continues to perform to packed houses at the Apollo Theatre. The West End production played at the Noël Coward Theatre in London in 2011, and a Las Vegas production began performances at Harrah’s Showroom in Las Vegas in February of 2013.
The musical won a Tony Award® for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a musical and received a Tony Award® nomination for Best Musical and Best Book of a Musical (Colin Escott & 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.
“Million Dollar Quartet” is produced by Relevant Theatricals, James L. Nederlander, John Cossette Productions, American Pop Anthology and Broadway Across America.
For tickets and more information, visit www.bolognapac.com or call the BPAC Ticket Office 662-846-4626.
