Stage Write

On December 4, 1956 four singers got together and made recording history. That night is the subject of the Broadway Across America musical Million Dollar Quartet, on stage now at the Murat Theatre. Set in the Sun Records recording studio in Memphis, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis blend their distinct styles to create something unique. The result is a concert of famous oldies, including everything from gospel to rock and roll. The cast is incredibly talented. Not only do the four members of the quartet nail the individual singing aspect of the performers they are portraying, they also play their instruments (guitars and piano) amazingly well. They shine on both the rowdy hits, like Party, and the quiet hymns, like Peace in the Valley. Along with rocking performances, the show provides a history lesson. I’d never heard of Carl Perkins and had no idea he wrote and performed Blue Suede Shoes, topping the pop/country/blues charts long before Elvis covered it. S