What did Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash and “newcomer” Jerry Lee Lewis all have in common during the late 1950’s?  Sun Records—where producer Sam Phillips fostered their careers when they were still fledgling performers, before the gold records, screaming fans and fame took its toll on their lives. On December 4, 1956, all four musicians were back in the studio together with producer Phillips, who recorded the jam session for posterity, an event that has become the stuff legends are made of.

This is the premise behind “Million Dollar Quartet,” Colin Escott and Floyd Mutrux’s theatrical imagining of what took place that day and with super talented performers Jefferson McDonald (Lewis), Armando Gutierrez (Perkins), Marc D. Donovan (Cash) and Noah Jermaine (Presley) portraying the icons, it’s one for the money and two for the show as they rock the roof off of the theatre time and time again throughout the two act pastiche of musical numbers. This stylish and attractive production also features Chris Gleim (Phillips), and a knockout performance by knockout Marina Laurendi as “Dyanne,” loosely based on Elvis Presley’s girlfriend at the time.

All of the guys have more than one opportunity to shine and none disappoint, as hit song after hit song washes over the audience, who stomp their feet, and roar in approval following numbers like “Blue Suede Shoes,” “Folsom Prison Blues,” “Hound Dog,” and “See You Later Alligator.” All in all, more than twenty high-energy hits are performed, including  Laurendi’s rendition of “Fever,” which drove the crowd wild, and McDonald’s exuberant show stopping interpretation of Jerry Lee Lewis pounding the ivories and leaping around the stage with wild abandon singing “Goodness, gracious, great balls of fire!”

Jacob Brown’s scenic design, coupled with Ethan Steimel’s candy-colored lighting and Kevin Semancik’s all-important sound design complimented Anthony C. Daniel’s snappy direction, which keeps the “Jukebox Musical” moving at a lively pace and the performers on their toes. I didn’t know what to expect from this light-on-plot story which relies heavily on an amazing cast of musicians and singers, but this production does not disappoint on any level, and my recommendation is a hearty “Go, cat, go!”

Where: The Forestburgh Playhouse

When:  6/19 -7/1

For tickets and information go to www.fbplayhouse.org or call 845/794-1194.