Review: 'Million Dollar Quartet' at Westchester Broadway Theatre

Photos by John Vecchiolla

‘Million Dollar Quartet’ is a jukebox musical essentially based upon a photo taken of an impromptu jam session between four musical legends in the Sun Records Studios in Memphis, Tennessee in 1956. What started out as a recording session for Carl Perkins with his brothers Clayton and Jay and drummer W.S. Holland, by chance turned into a jam session including a young Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Johnny Cash. The taking of the well-known photo by Sam Phillips, the owner of Sun Records often dubbed “the Father of Rock and Roll,” is actually reenacted during the show.

The musical features 23 hits from the era performed with conviction by the Equity actors masterfully playing their own instruments. The musical legends back each other up and blend beautifully on some gospel tunes like “Down by the Riverside” and “Peace in the Valley.” There are also plenty of solos for each of the stars of their classic hits; “Blue Suede Shoes,’ written by Perkins but made famous by Elvis, is always performed by the entire quartet.

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Overall ‘Million Dollar Quartet’ was yet another excellent production at the longest running 52 weeks a year Equity theatre in the state of New York. My teen, the youngest patron in the audience, loved this one and began the standing ovation at the final curtain call. On the menu as the show special was a delicious chicken saltimbocca topped with eggplant, capicola and provolone. The signature drink was called “Million Dollar Delight.” ‘MDQ’ continues at Westchester Broadway Theatre through September 11.