Interview: Madison Palmer On Originating Dyanne in MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET at Paramount Theatre's Stolp Island Theatre

Paramount Theatre's production of MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET, staged in the new Stolp Island Theatre designed to immerse audiences in the world of Sun Studio, continues its long run. Based on the real events of December 4, 1956, when Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Carl Perkins had a chance encounter at Sun Studio in Memphis, the show captures one of the greatest impromptu jam sessions in music history, featuring 'Blue Suede Shoes,' 'Walk the Line,' 'Great Balls of Fire,' and more.

Among the cast is Madison Palmer, an original cast member who has played Dyanne since the production first opened in July 2024. A graduate of the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University, Palmer has been with the show through more than 670 performances and countless cast combinations.

BroadwayWorld spoke with Palmer about the evolution of her character, the real woman who inspired Dyanne, the women both onstage and off who shape the story, and what it's like performing inside a space built to feel like Sun Studio itself.

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What has it been like staying with MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET since its very first performances back in July 2024?

Being with Paramount's production of MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET from day one has been the absolute joy of my life and an absolute rollercoaster ride. The show has ebbed and flowed through different cast combinations and with that, different acting and music choices. I think this show has been able to thrive because of its ability to be alive, to have its very own heartbeat, which changes with the audience, cast, and feeling in the room. I am so lucky to have been one of the only people to see it from its beginnings. Every month, every week, even, has been unique to the people in the room. It has made the run not feel like 670+ performances, rather a living, breathing thing, and I am so lucky to have been a part of it.

How has your portrayal of Dyanne evolved since you first originated the role in this production?

When we first opened the show in July 2024, I really wanted Dyanne to feel warm, fun, and an energy for the boys in the room to play off of. Since the show has evolved, I have found that my own opinion of her has changed, too. There is a reason that Dyanne is the only person in the room that each boy feels like he can open up to. She is someone they trust, even if they don't know her well at first. She is the one who Sam Phillips is able to work out his night with, run through his troubles with, someone to help him figure out where to go from here. The more I play her, the more I realize how important she really is to this story. She is not a surface level character with a song here and there. She is strong, she holds her own, she's empathetic, she's dynamic, she's the only woman in the room, and those are all things that make her, her. I have been able to really understand this the more I play her. I can't wait to see what she teaches me next.

What kind of research did you do into the real woman who inspired the character of Dyanne?

The real life inspiration for the character Dyanne in MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET was a young Las Vegas dancer named Marilyn Evans. She was dating Elvis Presley and accompanied him to Sun Records on December 4, 1956. She was present during the impromptu jam session, and can be spotted sitting on top of the piano in the iconic "Million Dollar Quartet" photo. Marilyn's involvement that night, unlike Dyanne, was actually pretty quiet and was mostly observational.

Why do you think it's important to highlight those often-overlooked female perspectives in a story dominated by four iconic men?

I am so happy the writers decided to make Dyanne a dynamic female presence in the stage production. I think it completely changes the flow of that night, and gives the boys a warm and empathetic character to bounce their feelings off of. She also is not the only woman in the show. Marion Keisker is an amazing addition to this show, and she is usually not a written-in character. Marion was a record producer at Sun Studios, and was actually the first person to record the singing voice of Elvis Presley. She is the hidden icon of the birth of rock 'n' roll, and I think she was a spectacular and thoughtful addition to this production. It is imperative to highlight the importance of these two women in the story.

How does the immersive design of the space, from the lobby to the stage, change your experience as a performer?

It makes me feel like I have the easiest job in the world! I am immediately thrown into the time period and feel the music in my bones before I even step foot onto the stage. The immersive space is like a portal to 1956 Memphis. From the typewriter in Marion's front office to the cigarettes in the ashtrays by the drum set, it is not hard to imagine you are in Sun Records yourself, and as an actor I can put myself right there before I even set foot on stage.

How does performing in a space designed to feel like Sun Studio affect your connection to the music and the story?

This space is an insane replica of Sun Studios. I was lucky enough to travel to Memphis last winter on our break and I can say having seen it with my own eyes, the attention to detail is amazing. As soon as we stepped into the office I got that feeling in my stomach as if it was my places cue! The tiles on the wall, Sam Phillips's recording booth, the lighting fixtures, it's amazing how much they were able to replicate. There is a sort of haunted feeling inside Sun Studios, and that feeling is the same inside Stolp Island. You can feel the energy of the stars that walked the floors in that room. It really feels like we are paying homage to these people each night we perform MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET, and that is huge thanks to the space.

What do you hope audiences take away from Dyanne's role in this pivotal moment in music history?

I hope that audiences just enjoy their time seeing MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET. I hope that audiences are able to take a break and take a huge breath from their day to day, step into Sun Studios 1956 Memphis, and watch history unfold. I hope they laugh, sing along, get up and dance, and leave feeling like they're walking on air. Sometimes as entertainers, our job is to give our audiences two hours of enjoyment and distraction. I hope that they end up loving the characters on stage, and are able to experience the live music, live band, live vocals, live feeling, and live storytelling in a way that they never have before.

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