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Hottest jam session in recording history hits the stage at Chemainus Theatre

Million Dollar Quartet returns to the Chemainus Theatre Festival from March 23 to April 14

They’re back, and claiming to be better than ever.

Million Dollar Quartet — featuring the ’50s music stylings Carl, Elvis, Johnny, and Jerry Lee — returns to the Chemainus Theatre Festival from March 23 to April 14.

As those who saw it the first time around, in 2016, should be able to confirm, there’ll be a whole lotta shakin’ goin’ on with the boys from Sam Phillips Sun Records.

The cast that includes Montgomery Björnson (Jerry Lee Lewis), Frankie Cottrell (Elvis Presley), Brett Harris (Sam Phillips); Sarah Horsman (Dyanne), Scott Carmichael (Fluke), Daniel Kosub (Carl Perkins), Jonas Shandel (Johnny Cash), and Kraig Waye (Brother Jay and musical director).

Everyone has been getting ready, under the direction of Mark DuMez, including Jonas Shandel, who plays Johnny Cash.

Chemainus regulars will know him because he was in this show in 2016, and he has also starred as The Man in Black in the Chemainus Theatre presentation of Ring of Fire.

In fact, Shandel loves Chemainus. Although, he lives in Berlin, Germany, now as he follows a songwriting dream in Europe, he still owns a house in Mural Town and plans to return some day.

“I had just moved here in 2014 when I bumped into Mark DuMez one day and asked him if he had cast anyone for Johnny Cash in Ring of Fire yet.”

DuMez hadn’t. Shandel auditioned, and was hired. The rest is history.

“Moving to Chemainus was the best thing I’ve ever done. It opened so many doors for me,” he said.

Johnny Cash is an exciting role, and Shandel prepared for it by “watching a lot of video” and immersing himself in the man’s life story.

His own background as a singer is with a roots and Americana band, but he’s “become a huge fan” of Cash and his songs.

“He had a huge talent, but he was also a badass, he stood up for the downtrodden,” Shandel said.

“I love the way he carried his problems on the outside. He didn’t try to hide them. That’s why his legacy is so strong.”

Music lovers and theatre fans will really enjoy this show because “they’ll know all the songs,” he said.

“There’s also a live band, we actually are playing live. It’s really a cool show. The husbands will like it as much as the wives,” he said, smiling. “It’s the story of Sam Phillips and Sun Records. He really developed these four guys, and some of the best songs ever recorded came from Sun Records. I often wonder what would have happened if Elvis had stayed at Sun Records.”

The story of the show is that on Dec. 4, 1956, Phillips recorded the hottest jam session in rock ‘n’ roll history with Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis, and Johnny Cash.

Rhythm and blues, gospel, country, and rockabilly: it was all there. With their deep southern roots, all four could groove together with ease, and the theatre audience gets to see what resulted when Phillips let them loose on the music world.

Order your tickets today from 1-800-565-7738 or go online to chemainus theatre.ca.