Theater Review: Legends come alive in ‘Million Dollar Quartet’

It was a night in December 1956, when fate, timing, and an open door on a recording session collided. The scene is set at Sun Records in Memphis, Tennessee, when producer Sam Phillips found himself hosting an unplanned jam session with four of the biggest names in music: Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Carl Perkins. 

The impromptu gathering became the stuff of music legend. Decades later, it became the inspiration for “Million Dollar Quartet,“ the Tony Award-nominated musical that blends the intimacy of theater with the propulsive joy of a concert. Theatre Aspen’s production, running through Aug. 23, does not just recreate that night — it invites the audience right into the room where it happened.

From the first moment Sam Phillips (Chance Michael Wall) steps into the spotlight, there is an easy rapport with the audience. Sam opens the show as a seasoned storyteller, setting the scene with warmth and wry humor, while hinting at the tensions and rivalries that will simmer beneath the music. 

Around him, the cast falls into place: Carl Perkins (Jeremy Sevelovitz), with his guitar work sharp and side-eye intense, Johnny Cash (Andrew Frace) is all deep-voiced gravitas and sly charm, Jerry Lee Lewis (Brady Wease) is a buoyant, chaotic burst of energy at the piano, Elvis Presley (Joe Boover) is equal parts swagger and vulnerability, and Dyanne (Sofia Macaluso) brings vocal firepower and grounded presence. 

The pleasure here is in the details, each performer having mastered the mannerisms of the legends they portray — Elvis’ classic moves, Cash’s posture at the microphone, Jerry Lee’s nearly unhinged glint in his eyes — but the performance never slips into parody. 

Under Rachel Sabo-Hedges’ direction, the actors inhabit the spirit of their characters while letting their own artistry shine. As Sam himself insists, it is not about imitation but finding your own voice.

The music, of course, is the heartbeat of the show. Brother Jay (Justin P. Bendal) on bass and W.S. “Fluke” Holland (Tom Perkins) on drums are the backbone, driving the beat with precision and soul. “Who Do You Love” is a hypnotic pulse; “Brown Eyed Handsome Man” turns into an infectious jam session. And when Cash drops into his lowest notes in “Folsom Prison Blues,” the theater all but vibrates.

Dyanne is the woman of the ensemble, and she makes every moment count. Whether delivering the sultry “Fever” or cutting through the banter to talk some sense into Sam, she brings glamour and gravitas to the stage. Her second solo, “I Hear Ya Knocking,” is a highlight of the show, as she delivers absolute powerhouse vocals.

Costume designer Lauren Roark outfits the cast in clothes that feel both era-perfect and performance-ready, from Sam’s epically sharp tie to Elvis’ slick dance-ready shoes. The scenic design by Seth Howard keeps Sun Records illuminated and alive with period details that frame all the action without distracting from it.

The second act bursts open with “Long Tall Sally,” which has audience members bobbing their heads along to the beat. By “I Walk the Line,” the audience is fully in step, and by the finale, everyone was on their feet. A glorious benefit to an intimate theater space is the magic of being drawn into the music, so that one stops feeling like an audience member and more like a member of the band. Front-row members of the audience were interacting with the performers, one even earning Elvis’ full attention. On the way out at the end of the night, one theatergoer was overheard saying, “That was the best show I have ever seen!”

Part concert, part character study, and wholly a celebration of an extraordinary moment.