(OUTscene NW) RE-view: Million Dollar Quartet Tour, is "MOM-APPROVED"!

by MK Scott

You couldn't asked for a better time in Seattle for the stop on the National Tour of "Million Dollar Quartet" with it falling on the week of Mother's Day. Many brought their Moms, including myself, and a majority of the audience consisted of ages 50 to 70. 

My Mom was also celebrating her 68th Birthday this week and for the first time I was able to get my mom up to Seattle from rural Oregon, alone and away from the red-neck step-father!

My mom is a Major Elvis fan and appreciates the music of Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash and Carl Perkins. The fact this was based on a real-life event made this even more intriguing.


The show's book was by Colin Escott and Floyd Mutrux and originally Produced by the WA based, Village Theater. The Broadway production opened at the Nederlander Theatre on April 11, 2010. The Broadway production closed on June 12, 2011 after 489 performances and 34 previews, and then re-opened Off-Broadway at New World Stages. Million Dollar Quartet then opened in the West End at the Noël Coward Theatre on February 28, 2011. 


"Million Dollar Quartet" is the name given to recordings made on Tuesday December 4, 1956 in the Sun Record Studios in Memphis, Tennessee. The recordings were of an impromptu jam session among Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Johnny Cash. It was arguably the first super group.

The starts with on the eve of whether or not if Sam Phillips (Christopher Ryan Grant) would leave Sun Records to join Elvis at RCA or stay to produce for the newbie, Jerry Lee Lewis (Martin Kaye). He wants to keep Cash and Perkins at Sun, but they want to move on to Columbia.

The jam session seems to have happened by pure chance. Perkins (Lee Ferris), who by this time had already met success with "Blue Suede Shoes", had come into the studios that day, accompanied by his brothers Clayton (Not shown)  and Jay (Chuck Zayas) and by drummer W.S. "Fluke" Holland (Billy Shaffer), their aim being to cut some new material, including a revamped version of an old blues song, "Matchbox". (Lewis was already there on Piano.)

Sometime in the early afternoon, Elvis (Cody Slaughter) dropped in to pay a casual visit accompanied by a girlfriend, Marilyn "Dyanne" Evans (Kelly Lamont). He was, at the time, the biggest name in show business, Cash appears. The actor playing Cash (Derek Keeling) had a deep voice and Elvis had all the moves down.

With no intermission, the show had 23 songs and it was confusing for some when after song #19, they had a curtain call! Some got up and left and some returned when the set changed to a concert setting and 4 colored lame' jackets dropped down and each Legend performed their Big Hits after 1956.  Elvis' "Hound Dog", Perkins's "See ya later", Cash's 'Riders' and Lewis' "Whole Lot of Shakin" which led to everyone dancing in the aisle.

After the final song, the actor, who played Sam Phillips announced the REAL drummer, Fluke was really in the audience!  WS "Fluke" Holland, known as the 'King of Drums" and performed with Cash for over 40 years, stood up in the audience and was in the spotlight. My Mom and I were sitting in the next row up! My mom speechless and couldn't believe that the drummer that was once performed with Elvis was sitting right behind her!

Mom (eyes closed) Poses with "Fluke"!

I had to ask "Fluke" if the show was an accurate account of the event, he assured me it was. He graciously posed with My Mother for a Photo. My Mom still couldn't believe her eyes and this was truly the best time of her life!

So, my point is see this show and Bring Mom, and you will feel closer than ever!

"Million Dollar Quartet" continues at the Paramount through Sunday, May 20th!