BWW Interviews: Gabe Bowling and Bryan Langlitz Talk MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET

MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET is a crowd-pleasing favorite of both theater and music fans alike. The vibrant jukebox musical tells the story of the world's most infamous impromptu jam sessions. On December 4, 1956, Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins all gathered in Sam Phillips' Sun Record Studios in Memphis, Tennessee. Filled with toe-tapping hits and tons of heart, I chatted with Gabe Bowling (Carl Perkins) and Bryan Langlitz (Sam Phillips) about the spirited musical.

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How did you come to be involved with this tour of MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET?

Gabe Bowling: I auditioned for the first commercial production back in 2008 at the Goodman in Chicago, before it went to Broadway. I was understudying Elvis and Carl Perkins. In 2010, they took the quartet to Broadway, and I took over as Carl Perkins. I was in the Chicago cast for three and a half years. I took three years off and did a bunch of other shows. This winter they gave me a ring and offered me the tour. It sounded like a blast from the past, so I signed up!

Bryan Langlitz: I had seen the Off-Broadway production of MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET in 2012 and immediately thought I'd like to play Sam one day. I auditioned for the first national tour initially, but it didn't go my way. Some years passed, I worked a few other jobs, spent a lot of time worrying about how hard it is to be an actor and then... (Pauses) an opportunity arose. MDQ was looking for a new Sam Phillips, and I jumped at the chance. I had a few rounds of auditions with the casting and creative teams, and found out I booked the job on my birthday. That news, plus a New Years Day start date, made for a very exciting start to a new year.

With characters like Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Johnny Cash in the show, it must seem like Carl Perkins and Sam Phillips are kind of the forgotten members of this historic event. How did you prepare to play these important, but sometimes overlooked, characters?

Bryan Langlitz: Sam's anonymity as the "Father of Rock and Roll" is part of what I love about his story. His vision for talent was impeccable, and his discoveries changed the course of music history forever, but you may not have ever heard his name. Of course, I imagine this is something that was hard for Sam, but it wasn't about the fame for him. It was always about the music. As an actor, that sentiment right there is a huge building block for creating a character. No one onstage is trying to do an impersonation. We're up there trying to honor the story of December 4th, 1956 as best we can. For me, that means digging into the reality of knowing you are in a room with four superstars, all of whom you [Sam Phillips] discovered and to some degree created. That' thrilling for me.

Gabe Bowling: While these characters are indeed not as iconic as say Elvis or Johnny Cash, there is still so much great information and material out there. Enough that you could never absorb it all. I try to never stop learning about Carl. When I come across something that I think could serve the role well, I use it and apply it to my performance. It could be anything from a vocal characteristic to his relationship to the others in the play, to his speaking voice, or a way he moved and approached the guitar. The possibilities are endless.

Without giving too much away (for those who haven't seen the show), what is your favorite moment in MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET?

Gabe Bowling: In the middle of the song "Who Do You Love," Sam Phillips talks about Carl's achievements on Sun Records leading up to this day in 1956-the day the play takes place. He's almost like Carl's hype man. He tells the audience a lot of amazing info about Carl that most people aren't aware of. I then get to turn around and launch into the end of the song after people have been told about how talented and important this guy was to the music industry. It gives Carl a sense of purpose, and it feels amazing to finish out such a great song knowing the audience understands where Carl is coming from.

Bryan Langlitz: There is a quiet, frozen-in-time moment near the end of the play when Sam reflects on the evening he and "his boys" spent together. It's a really touching moment, and I love the simplicity of it. You get to see how much these young men meant to him.

Why do you think audiences should be excited to see MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET at the historic The Grand 1894 Opera House in Galveston, TX?

Gabe Bowling: This show has more heart, electricity, and raw energy than any show I've done or even seen for that matter. These people are icons for a reason, and this show pulls out all the stops to recreate the powerful effect they had on an audience. It's like reliving a slice of amazing entertainment history. Where else are you gonna find that in Galveston on a Friday or Saturday night?

Bryan Langlitz: You should come out and experience MDQ whether you're familiar with the songs and story or not. It has something for everybody: music buffs, history buffs, it's a rock concert, it's a comedy, it's 90 minutes! Truly, I can hardly think of a better way to spend a night out. I mean, come on!

What are you most looking forward to about performing in Galveston, TX?

Gabe Bowling: The Grand 1894 Opera House is stunning. I can't wait to look out at that beautiful audience in that beautiful space.

Byan Langlitz: I'm with Gabe on this one: The Opera House. This tour has provided a unique opportunity to play some of this country's oldest, most gorgeous theatres. A 19th century opera house? I'm hoping it's haunted and we can play Johnny Cash's "Ghost Riders" for the ghosts.

That would be amazing, and other stars like B.B. King have played the venue. You should see their wall of signatures. It's surreal. So, what do you hope audiences take away from MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET?

Bryan Langlitz: I'm happy if I see people exit the theatre laughing, talking, dancing, and humming along to a rockabilly tune they never knew before. And by the way, they usually all do! It's a party up on stage, and I'm happy if we can share that with our audiences. I love knowing we can help bring that kind of happiness to 2000 strangers every night.

Gabe Bowling: Well, first and foremost I want them to take an ear-to-ear grin out the theater doors with them. I'm confident that will happen. On another note, I really am proud to be telling the story of one of the most influential unsung heroes in the history of the music business. I want people to take a little piece of Carl with them that they didn't have before. If those things happen, I've done my job, and the audience got more than their money's worth.

Having seen the first national tour when it played The Hobby Center in Houston, TX and this company when they played New Brunswick, NJ this past February, I can assure you that this is one extremely fun night out at the theatre. Be a fly on a wall for a piece of history and check out MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET at Galveston's The Grand 1894 Opera House (2020 Postoffice Street, Galveston, 77550). Performances are Friday, June 19 at 8 PM and Saturday, June 20 at 3 PM and 8 PM. For tickets and more information, please visit http://milliondollarquartetlive.com/tour.html, http://www.thegrand.com, or call 1-800-821-1894.

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