On April 11, 2010, Million Dollar Quartet opened at Broadway's Nederlander Theatre. With original concept by Floyd Mutrux and book by Mutrux and Colin Escott, Million Dollar Quartet tells the story of a legendary night in 1956 when Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Johnny Cash participated in a jam session at Sun Records in Memphis.
The production starred Eddie Clendening as Presley, Robert Britton Lyons as Perkins, Levi Kreis as Lewis, Lance Guest as Cash, Elizabeth Stanley as Dyanne, and Hunter Foster as Sam Phillips.
Million Dollar Quartet featured direction by Eric Schaeffer, original direction by Mutrux, scenic design by Derek McLane, costume design by Jane Greenwood, lighting design by Howell Binkley, and sound design by Howell Binkley.
The show won a Tony Award for Featured Actor Kreis as Jerry Lee Lewis and received Tony nominations for Best Musical and Best Book of a Musical, a Drama Desk nomination for Outstanding Musical Revue, and three Drama League nominations, including Distinguished Production of a Musical and two Distinguished Performance nominations. The musical played 34 previews and 489 performances before closing June 12, 2011.
In the 15 years since its first Broadway bow, the musical has become a hit on the regional circuit, playing the packed houses across the United States as a particular favorite of summerstock theatres. The show's success even inspired a holiday spinoff: Million Dollar Quartet Christmas, which features a new book and score with holiday hits and chart-toppers “Jingle Bell Rock,” “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” “Don’t Be Cruel,” “Blue Christmas,” “Santa Claus Is Comin‘ to Town,” “Ring of Fire,” “Santa Baby,” “Run Run Rudolph,” and more.
Look back on the original Broadway production below.
To learn about other theatre events that happened on April 11, visit the Playbill Vault.
