Quantcast

The Cast of Million Dollar Quartet
The Cast of Million Dollar Quartet

WOS TV: Up Close With ... Million Dollar Quartet

Date: 14 March 2011

Million Dollar Quartet, the jukebox musical featuring the music of Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis opened at the Noel Coward Theatre on 28 February (previews from 8 February 2011).

Former Coronation Street star Bill Ward plays legendary music producer Sam Phillips, and is joined in the cast by Ben Goddard (Jerry Lee Lewis), Derek Hagen (Johnny Cash), Francesca Jackson (Dyanne), Robert Britton Lyons (Carl Perkins) and Michael Malarkey (Elvis Presley).

Joseph Pike talks to Malarkey, Ward and Hagen about portraying some of the biggest names in 20th century music and popular culture on stage and about the history of rock and roll.

Million Dollar Quartet is inspired by the actual event that took place on 4 December 1956 at Sun Records in Memphis where, in an move masterminded by Sun Records’ founder Sam Phillips, brought Elvis Presley back to the recording studio that launched him to stardom and had him play with the other musicians he had discovered.

The musical features 20 rock ’n’ roll, gospel, R&B and country hits all taken from the back catelogues of the quartet members including: "Blue Suede Shoes", "I Walk The Line", "Fever", "Great Balls of Fire", "Hound Dog", "Folsom Prison Blues" and "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On".

It has a book by Colin Escott and Floyd Mutrux and was originally directed and conceived by Floyd Mutrux. The has scenic design by Derek McLane, costumes by Jane Greenwood, lighting design by Howell Binkley, sound by Kai Harada and musical arrangement and supervision by Chuck Mead.

Million Dollar Quartet is produced in the West End by Relevant Theatricals, John Cossette Productions, American Pop Anthology, John Gore, Thomas B McGrath, Joseph Smith and Michael McCabe.

- by Joseph Pike

Related Content

Booking Tickets & Show Listings
Million Dollar Quartet Listing Page
Internal Links
Million Dollar Quartet to Close at Noël Coward, 14 Jan - 7th Oct 2011 news
Photos: Rod Stewart Meets Million Dollar Quartet - 14th Jul 2011 photos
Musicals Extend: Thriller & Million Dollar Quartet - 5th Apr 2011 news
Blonde Natalie Casey, Seymour-Marsh Joins MDQ - 22nd Mar 2011 news
Review Round-up: Quartet Rocks the Critics - 4th Mar 2011 roundup
1st Night Photos: Coward Looks a Million Dollars - 1st Mar 2011 photos
Million Dollar Quartet star - 1st Mar 2011 reviews
Opening: Million Dollar, Wizard of Oz & Sapphires - 28th Feb 2011 news
WOS Rock 'n' Rolls with Million Dollar Quartet - 23rd Feb 2011 blog
Photos: Cast Prepare to Bring MDQ to West End - 19th Jan 2011 photos
Goddard, Hagen, Lyons & Malarkey Form Quartet - 6th Jan 2011 news
- 1st Jan 1970
Coronation Street Star Ward Confirmed for Quartet - 22nd Dec 2010 news
Million Dollar Quartet Opens at Noël Coward, Feb - 19th Nov 2010 news
Million Dollar Quartet Seeks Elvis for 2011 Opening - 9th Sep 2010 news



Write a Comment
Give us your opinion on this entry
Comment:
Name:
Required, will appear on website
Email:
Required, will not appear on website
Confirm: Please type in
Please enter this number > SEVENTY-EIGHT < Just the two digits only, without any spaces.

Free Newsletter

Subscribe to our free newsletter


Featured Video

Twitter

Featured Editor's Picks

Dominic Rowan & Hattie Morahan in A Doll's HouseYoung Vic's award-winning Doll's House transfers to West End
Carrie Cracknell's critically acclaimed Young Vic production of A Doll's House, using an adaptatio...

Let it BeLet It Be extends booking at Savoy until Jan 2014
Let It Be, the concert show based on the music of The Beatles, has extended its run at the Savoy...

Tom Hanks plays Mike McAlaryWest End gets Lucky with Tom Hanks?
Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks is reportedly in talks to reprise his role in hit Broadway play Lucky ...

Benedict Nightingale at the launch of the 2013 Bruntwood PrizeGuest Blog: Benedict Nightingale on judging the Bruntwood Prize
Former Times theatre critic Benedict Nightingale is among the judges of this year's Bruntwood Priz...

The Victorian in the Wall
starstarstarstar
From previous Perrier award-winner Will Adamsdale comes this middle class musical about all the i...

Infographic: Regions at risk as London dominates private arts giving
A report published earlier this week by Arts & Business revealed that, though private sector suppo...

Felicity Kendal. Photo: Nobby Clark Show Pics: Felicity Kendal & Kara Tointon in Relatively Speaking
Production images have been released for the West End transfer of Alan Ayckbourn's Relatively Speaki...

The Three GracesPhotos: Lloyd Webber unveils £4m restoration of Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Theatre Royal Drury Lane owner Andrew Lloyd Webber has unveiled the first phase of his £4milli...

Charlie & the Chocolate Factory reschedules two previews due to 'unforeseen problems'
The producers of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory have "reluctantly" rescheduled the first two prev...

Ripe for revival? The Pirate QueenTen of the Best: Theatre 'flops' ripe for reinvention
Defining a theatre 'flop' is no straightforward task. A general rule of thumb could be that it mak...
>> More Editor's Picks
>> Most Recent Stories
>> Most Popular Stories

Follow Us

Facebook Twitter Google Plus YouTube