Review: MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET CHRISTMAS at Arizona Broadway Theatre

MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET CHRISTMAS brings sizzling entertainment to Arizona Broadway Theatre this holiday season! The run has closed, so this critic was very glad to have made it to the closing performance! MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET CHRISTMAS played its run in the glamorous Encore Room, which was the perfect setting for live musical entertainment. All of the musicians played live, and they were versatile and mega-talented in their musicianship. The premise of MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET CHRISTMAS is similar to its counterpart, MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET. Sam Phillips of Sun Records brought together Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Johnny Cash for an evening jam session at his studio. They were called the "Million Dollar Quartet."

First and foremost, it is best not to compare the Christmas edition to the original MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET. They are two different shows. I was pleased that this rendition featured many Christmas hits such as "Run, Rudolph, Run" and "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree", and did not recycle much material from the original production. The Christmas show stands on its own. Second, these are some of the best live musicians you will find around the Valley. Their technical skill and performance delivery were fantastic to watch. MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET CHRISTMAS is supremely entertaining.

One of my favorite aspects of MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET CHRISTMAS is that every single person onstage is a true performer and musician. Joey Nuhfer as Brother Jay Perkins and D'Mitri Droban as W.S. "Fluke" Holland tore up the stage during all of the musical numbers. Nuhfer commanded attention with his dynamite double bass playing and onstage acrobatics playing his instrument in all kinds of positions! Playing the bass like it's an electric guitar is one of the best parts of the show, provided by Brother Jay. I absolutely loved this.

MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET is only as good as its cast, since the project is basically a concert with scenes in between musical numbers. Fortunately this cast delivers, and then some! Alex Swindle is the best Elvis Presley I have ever seen, and I have seen many portrayals of Elvis over my lifetime. Swindle is truly "The King." I was floored by Swindle's vocals and his perfect presentation of not just the musical stylings but subtle mannerisms of Elvis. I would love to see an entire tribute concert dedicated to The King by Swindle. He is a true professional and a talented artist.

Jared Mancuso as Carl Perkins and Brody Wurr as Johnny Cash are the heart and soul of MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET. Both have pristine vocals and manic energy that carries into the audience. They did an excellent job getting our audience into the holiday spirit! Wurr infuses real humanity and humility into his performance as Cash and it absolutely works. The faith-based background and flawed humanity are really appealing pieces to Cash's character, and they make the show more than just a concert. Cash is a deeply fascinating character and Wurr brings him to extraordinary life.

It is necessary to devote an entire paragraph to Kevin Lausche's performance as Jerry Lee Lewis. He is a fireball of virtuosity and energy that does not stop until the final curtain call. Lausche is also my new favorite version of Jerry Lee. Exuberant, a little arrogant, but undeniably a force to be reckoned with, Lewis is the glue that holds together this performance. Lausche's piano and vocal skills are without peer, and he is near impossible to keep up with in the best possible way. Above all, it is clear how much FUN Lausche is having in this role, and it makes the entertainment experience that much more fun for the audience.

Rounding out the cast are Quinn Tierney Vaira as Dyanne and Austin Shaw as Sam Phillips. Vaira has pipes of gold and particularly impresses with her rendition of "Santa Baby." Her chemistry with the rest of the cast is electric. Vaira sounds like she stepped right out of the 50's with her smooth and sensational sound. Shaw is charismatic and cool as Phillips, and he even plays guitar and harmonica later on in the show! I loved Shaw's portrayal of Phillips; he looked and acted just like him while injecting his own unique spark.

Phoenix Awards - Live Stats

Best Musical - Top 3

1. TOOTSIE (Arizona Broadway Theatre)

13.7% of votes

2. XANADU (Arts Express Theatre)

13.7% of votes

3. ANASTASIA: THE MUSICAL (Don Bluth Front Row Theatre)

7.9% of votes

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