The cast of the smash hit Million Dollar Quartet, Chicago's beloved musical inspired by the famed 1956 recording session that brought together legendary rock ‘n' roll icons Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Elvis Presley, will be performing a free concert at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park this summer, on Tuesday, June 2, 2009, at 6:30 p.m. The hour-long performance will feature classic, crowd-pleasing rock ‘n' roll, gospel, R&B and country hits from the musical, including "Blue Suede Shoes," "Great Balls of Fire" and "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On," and "Ghost Riders," among others.
On December 4, 1956, an auspicious twist of fate brought Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Elvis Presley together. The place was Sun Records' storefront studio in Memphis. The man who made it happen was Sam Phillips, the "Father of Rock 'n' Roll," who discovered them all. The four legends-to-be united for the only time in their careers for an impromptu recording that has come to be known as one of the greatest rock jam sessions of all time. Featuring a treasure trove of the greatest songs ever recorded, Million Dollar Quartet captures the infectious spirit, freewheeling excitement and thrilling sounds of a singular moment when four of the music industry's most extraordinary talents, all in their creative prime, came together for one of the most memorable nights in music history.
Directed by Floyd Mutrux and Eric Schaeffer, with a book by Colin Escott and Floyd Mutrux, Million Dollar Quartet is produced by John Cossette Productions and Dee Gee Theatricals. Million Dollar Quartet features a stellar group of performers, equally adept as musicians and actors. The Chicago production stars Eddie Clendening as Elvis Presley, Lance Guest as Johnny Cash; Levi Kreis as Jerry Lee Lewis; and Rob Lyons as Carl Perkins. Chicago-based actress Kelly Lamont plays Elvis' girlfriend Dyanne and Chicago's own Brian McCaskill plays the "father of rock and roll" Sam Phillips. Billy Shaffer (drums) plays the role of Fluke and Chuck Zayas (bass) plays Jay Perkins.
Tickets to Million Dollar Quartet at the Apollo Theatre are currently on sale and available through the Apollo Theater box office, 2540 N. Lincoln Ave, (773) 935-6100. Tickets are available online through Ticketmaster, www.ticketmaster.com. Tickets for the regular run are $25-$64.50. Rush student tickets are available for $20.
The Apollo performance schedule is as follows: Wednesdays at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; Thursdays at 7:30 p.m.; Fridays at 8:00 p.m.; Saturdays at 5:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 3:30 and 6:30 p.m.
For more show information, visit www.milliondollarquartetlive.com.
Millennium Park is located in the heart of downtown Chicago. It is bordered by Michigan Avenue to the west, Columbus Dr. to the east, Randolph St. to the north and Monroe St. to the south. Convenient parking is located in the Millennium Park Garage (entrance on Columbus at Monroe or Randolph) and at the Grant Park North and East Monroe Garages, all located within a short walking distance to Millennium Park.
Millennium Park, managed and programmed by the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs, is an award-winning center for art, music, architecture and landscape design. The result of a unique partnership between the City of Chicago and the philanthropic community, the 24.5-acre park features the work of world-renowned architects, planners, artists and designers. Among Millennium Park's prominent features are the Frank Gehry-designed Jay Pritzker Pavilion, the most sophisticated outdoor concert venue of its kind in the United States; the interactive Crown Fountain by Jaume Plensa; the contemporary Lurie garden designed by the team of Gustafson Guthrie Nichol, Piet Oudolf and Robert Israel; and Anish Kapoor's hugely popular Cloud Gate sculpture. Since its opening in July 2004, Millennium Park has welcomed more than 16 million of people, making it one of the most popular destinations in Chicago.
