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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><b style><span style="font-family:Palatino"><br></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="color:rgb(153,0,255)"><b style><span style="font-family:Palatino">••••••••••••••••••••••••••</span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><b style><span style="font-family:Palatino"><br></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><b style><span style="font-family:Palatino">“Million
Dollar Quartet” rocks the Ohio Theatre….”<i style>Great
Balls of Fire</i>!”</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Palatino">Roy Berko</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Palatino">(Member, American Theatre Critics Association, Cleveland
Critics Circle</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">Part concert, part history lesson, and a lot of
rock ‘n roll-- that’s “Million Dollar Quartet”, now on stage at the Ohio
Theatre in PlayhouseSquare.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">The second largest entertainment center in the
United States is playing host to </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and
Johnny Cash.<span style> </span>Well, in reality,
four performers portraying those icons of rock and roll, in a stage show that
attempts to duplicate the one time that the four actually did get together for
an informal rock session. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">In October of 2011, “Million Dollar Quartet” began
it’s long running trip around the country here, where Presley and Lewis were
among our Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame’s charter inductees, and were soon joined
by Perkins and Cash.<span style> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">It’s December 4, 195.<span style> </span>Four emerging music icons, all of whom were good old
Southern boys, identified and molded by Sam Phillips, were in his Memphis Sun
Studios.<span style> </span>They ad-libbed an evening
of gospel, blues and rock ‘n roll music.<span style>
</span>The event was chronicled by a reporter from the “Memphis
Press-Scimitar.”<span style> </span>The next day the
article discussing the event stated, “This quartet could sell a million.”<span style> </span>Little did the reporter realize that
though that number sounded like a lot, this quartet would go on to sell many,
many millions, and become individual musical icons.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">Whether the actions happened exactly as portrayed
is not known, but the fact that there was such a jam session is a reality.<span style> </span>A recording of the session, and a
picture of the four, documented the event and became the basis for the musical
with a book by Colin Escott and Floyd Mutrux.<span style> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">The touring production, under the direction of Eric
Schaeffer, is basically on target.<span style>
</span>The production is generally enveloping and filled with humor (mainly
provided by John Countryman who portrays Jerry Lee Lewis) and a little
drama.<span style> </span>And, of course, there is a “Whole
Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">The stage literally explodes with hit after hit,
including “Blue Suede Shoes,” “That’s All Right,” “Sixteen Tons,” and “I Walk
the Line.”<span style> </span>Then, there was a
curtain call which features the likes of “Hound Dog,” “Riders in the Sky,” and
“See You Later Alligator.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">This is a hard show to cast.<span style> </span>The performers need to look like, sound
like, and play musical instruments with perfection.<span style> </span>The original assemblage fulfilled these requirements.<span style> </span>This cast doesn’t quite do so.<span style> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">Tyler K. Hunter is much heftier than the Elvis we
knew at the early stages of his career, and though he sounds a lot like the
king, and has the hip swivels and the pelvis thrusts, he’s missing the famous
heavy eye-lidded stare and Elvis’s sensual attitude.<span style> </span>The last line heard from the stage at the conclusion of the
production was, “And Elvis has left the building.”<span style> </span>In actuality, Tyler K. Hunter left the building. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">The crowd-pleasing John Countryman, though he
doesn’t look anything like Jerry Lee Lewis, portrayed the undisciplined,
uber-talented pianist and singer, with dynamism.<span style> </span>He is electric on stage, hardly able to contain the
character’s twitching, jumping, ADHD persona.<span style> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">Dressed in Johnny Cash’s signature black uniform,
Scott Moreau’s deep and mellow voice and handsome dark features, helps create a
nice characterization.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">The alcoholic and conflicted Carl Perkins, known as
the King of Rock-a-billie, was on a rocket shot to fame until he was eclipsed
by Presley, including having the Perkins-written “Blue Suede Shoes,” sung by
the King on the Ed Sullivan show when Perkins became ill and couldn’t perform.<span style> </span>James Barry physically and vocally
brings Perkins alive.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">Vince Nappo gives a human portrayal of Sam
Phillips, Stephanie Lynne Mason is fine as Presley’s girl friend of the
moment.<span style> </span>Corey Kaiser is
tantalizing as bass player, Jay Perkins, Carl’s brother.<span style> </span>He plays a mean bass!<span style> </span>David Sonneborn is great on the drums.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style><span style="font-family:Palatino">Capsule judgement: Though it doesn’t have the fidelity of the original
staging of “Million Dollar Quartet”, if you are a rock and roll fan, you will
enjoy the production now at the Ohio.<span style>
</span>It is a<span style> </span>fun and
enlightening evening of theatre filled with great music and some excellent
performances.<span style> </span>Yes, “Memories Are
Made of This!”</span></i><i style><span style="font-family:Palatino"></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">“Million Dollar Quartet”
plays the Palace through July 27, 2014.<span style>
</span>For tickets call <span style="color:black">216-241-6000 or go to <u><a href="http://www.playhousesquare.org">www.playhousesquare.org</a></u>.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:rgb(153,0,255)"><span style="font-family:Palatino">••••••••••••••••••••••</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br><span style="font-family:Palatino"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"><br></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
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