Millon Dollar Quartet Rocks! Extended to January 2nd

 

Million Dollar Quartet is an electrifying musical inspired by the famed recording session that brought together Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis for the first and only time on December 4^th, 1956.  The Broadway production is still going strong with the original Chicago cast, three Tony nominations and one win, but don't count the Chicago production out yet.  It's still rocking with a new cast now through January 2^nd at the Apollo Theater.

You can't make this stuff up.  A "chance" meeting (albeit a bit contrived by Sam Phillips) gives birth to an impromptu jam session by four of rock 'n roll's greatest luminaries, a fete that would never be repeated. This ninety-minute family friendly musical brings that legendary night to life with a score of rock hits that includes "Blue Suede Shoes," "Fever," "That's All Right," "Sixteen Tons," "Great Balls of Fire," "Walk the Line," "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On," "Who Do You Love?," "Real Wild Child," "Folsom Prison Blues" and "Hound Dog."  I wonder how the guy who followed after them in the recording booth felt.

I can tell you all day long how great Million Dollar Quartet is, and I wouldn't be telling you anything you didn't know.  In fact, the most shocking part of this review is that this is the first time Broadwayworld is reviewing the Chicago production.  In all truthfulness, the book is a bit weak.  I can see where they lost out on "Best Musical" at the Tonys.  Because this event actually happened, it had the capabilities of a great script.  What we got was a script slightly better than a Jukebox Musical. 

That being said...

WOW! There were some seriously awesome performances going on at the Apollo Theater this afternoon.  This show can't be cast willy-nilly.  You have to find guys who can act, look the part and play well enough to pull off some of the greatest personalities in rock history. Let me tell you, this current cast delivers!  Lance Lipinsky was awesome as Jerry Lee Lewis.  He capturEd Lewis' bravado perfectly, while playing some of the best rockabilly on eighty-eight keys that I have ever heard.  Gabe Bowling was absolutely hot as Carl Perkins.  He met the task of having one of the more fully flushed out roles, was charming as all get out behind a mike and rocked on guitar.  (In the age Guitar Hero, it's tremendous to see a guy who can actually play the guitar!)  He plays the perfect foil to Lipinsky's goof-ball Lewis.

As I move on to Broadwayworld New York, I couldn't think of a better Chicago sign off.  Folks, I've seen a lot of subpar musicals over the past year, but this is not one of them.  Although it's is not perfect, I would go see it again and tell my friends.  You are missing out if you haven't already seen Million Dollar Quartet, so get down to the Apollo Theater now so you can say you were there.

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