Sunday 9 January 2011

Million Dollar Quartet

It's now all official - Fran is the lucky lady who will be playing the lead female in the West Ends new show Million Dollar Quartet which previews from Feb 8th at the Noel Coward Theatre.

For those of you who do not know what the show is about,


A smash hit in New York and Chicago, the Tony® award-winning MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET tells the electrifying story of the night ELVIS PRESLEY, JOHNNY CASH, CARL PERKINS and JERRY LEE LEWIS came together to make music, and ended up making history...


Inspired by the actual event, that took place on 4 December 1956 at Sun Records in Memphis, this ecstatic and engaging musical is a story of fame, friendship, discovery, divided loyalties, professional jealousy and incredible music as four of the music industry's most extraordinary talents, all in their creative prime, made music together for the first and only time in their careers.

The legendary meeting was masterminded by Sun Records' founder SAM PHILLIPS, who discovered all four of the musicians, and brought ELVIS PRESLEY (and his then girlfriend) back to the recording studio that launched him to stardom. Together with Sun Records' fast-rising new superstar JOHNNY CASH and CARL PERKINS, who was still chasing his next big hit after writing and recording Blue Suede Shoes, the fourth member of this impromptu "quartet" was Phillips' latest signing, JERRY LEE LEWIS.

MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET features over 20 classic hits from a golden era of music including: Blue Suede Shoes, Folsom Prison Blues, Fever, Memories Are Made Of This, That's All Right, Down By The Riverside, Sixteen Tons, (There Will Be) Peace In The Valley, I Walk The Line, I Hear You Knocking, Great Balls Of Fire, Hound Dog, Riders In The Sky, See You Later Alligator and Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On

Fran plays the role of Dyanne - Elvis Presley's girlfriend of the time. It has since been discovered after the show commenced on Broadway that the lady in question is one Marilyn Knowles-Riehl Formerly Evans.


Ben Goddard,  Derek Hagen, Robert Britton Lyons, Michael Malarkey, and Francesca Jackson

Best of Luck goes to Fran and all the cast as they continue with rehearsals in preparation for next month.

Full articles on the shows casting can be seen here

London Evening Standard

Official London Theatre Announcement

Whats On Stage

Broadway.Com

UK Theatre Tickets

The Show's Official Site

Official Website

Article interviewing Marilyn Knowles-Rheil

Marilyn Knowles-Rheil Interview/span>