The national tour of the Broadway musical "Million Dollar Quartet," inspired by the true story of a rock 'n roll jam session featuring Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash and Carl Perkins, is coming to the Gallo Center for the Arts for five performances, Friday through Sunday, November 15 - 17.
Tickets range price from $19 to $99, and may be purchased online at
www.galloarts.org, by calling
(209) 338-2100, or from the Gallo Center ticket office at 1000 I Street in downtown Modesto. Groups of 15 people or more receive a discount of 15% on their tickets. For group sales assistance, call
(209) 338-5062.
"Million Dollar Quartet" is set on the evening of December 4, 1956, when an auspicious twist of fate brought Presley, Lewis, Cash and Perkins together. Sam Phillips, the "Father of Rock 'n' Roll" who was responsible for launching the careers of each icon, brought the musicians together at the Sun Records storefront studio in Memphis for the first and only time.
The musical's eclectic score of rock, gospel, R&B and country hits includes "Blue Suede Shoes," "Fever," "Sixteen Tons," "Who Do You Love?," "Great Balls of Fire," "Matchbox," "Folsom Prison Blues," "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On," "Hound Dog," and more. As the production notes promise, it is "an irresistable tale of broken promises, secrets, friendships and celebrations."
Portraying the singers are
James Barry as
Carl Perkins,
John Countryman as
Jerry Lee Lewis,
Cody Slaughter as
Elvis Presley and
Scott Moreau as
Johnny Cash.
Vince Nappo plays the "Father of Rock 'n' Roll," Sam Phillips. The cast also features
Kelly Lamont as Dyanne, and musicians Patrick Morrow (
Fluke, drums) and
Corey Kaiser (
Jay Perkins, bass). Rounding out the company are
Katie Barton,
Andrew Frace,
Sean McGibbon,
David Sonneborn, Bradley Waters and Brandon Cody Wise.
The show is directed by
Eric Schaeffer and features a book by
Colin Escott and
Floyd Mutrux.
When the Broadway production opened in April 2010, 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, "90 minutes of platinumgrade entertainment."
"Million Dollar Quartet" 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.
The musical's appearance at the Gallo Center is presented by Boyett Petroleum and Doctors Medical Center, and sponsored by Del Monte Foods and Oak Valley Community Bank.
