Submitted
Actors Theatre of Indiana (ATI) is brining Million Dollar Quartet back to The Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel this month. For two nights only, Friday and Saturday, June 16 and 17, Million Dollar Quartet will come alive onstage at The Palladium.
Back by popular demand, this Tony Award-winning Broadway musical was inspired by the true story of the famed recording session where Sam Phillips, the “Father of Rock ‘n’ Roll,” brought together icons Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Elvis Presley for one unforgettable night.
Meet the cast
Brandon Alstott* is grateful and thrilled to return for a third time as Johnny Cash in ATI’s production of Million Dollar Quartet. Previously on the ATI stage he was seen as Jesus in Godspell. Previous regional credits include Roy/Bobby Jeremy in Fun Home, Ethan in Sex with Strangers, Rock ‘N Roll Boyfriend in American Idiot, Lieutenant Kelly in Butler, and Georg/Rupert in Spring Awakening (all at The Phoenix Theatre). Other favorite roles include Brad in The Rocky Horror Show (Athenaeum Theater) and Billy in Carousel (Booth Tarkington Civic Theatre).
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Jacob Barton is all shook up to return to the role of Elvis. He has done a National Tour of Million Dollar Quartet playing Presley. He has done regional theater of Million Dollar Quartet, also as Presley, at La Mirada Theater, Dutch Apple Dinner Theater, and Heritage Theatre Festival. He has done 1776 as Edward Rutledge at Temple Theatre and Jesus Christ Superstar as Simon Zealotes at Cape Fear Regional Theatre.
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Michael Perrie Jr* will star as Carl Perkins. He is an Actor/Playwright-Screenwriter/Musician originally from Baltimore, Md., now living in the Northern Virginia/D.C. area. His National Tours include: Million Dollar Quartet (2018), and Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story (2016 and 2017-18). Regional credits include Falsettos (Rep Stage, Helen Hayes Recommended), The Last Match, Buddy (Florida Studio Theatre), The Nerd (Maples Rep), Hank Williams: Lost Highway (Maples Rep), Buddy (Florida Rep, Maples, John W. Engeman, TBTS), Million Dollar Quartet (MMT, Laguna Playhouse, Broadway By The Bay), and Matilda (John W Engeman Theatre).
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Jefferson McDonald* as Jerry Lee Lewis is a three-time Broadway World Award winner and recipient of the Cincy Beat Award for Best Musical Actor. He has brought his passion for drama, comedy and music to stages all over the U.S. and Canada. Growing up on an organic poultry farm, he realized he had dexterous fingers as the fastest chicken gutter in Upstate New York. He soon realized his fingers could move just as fast playing Mozart. At age 11, he started pursuing music aggressively. He dropped his music studies for drama and studied in London and Moscow (MXAT) and with the Tom Todoroff studio in New York City. He eventually attended the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training where he was cast as Spike in Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, which resulted in him being shirtless in the New York Times. He reprised that role in St. Louis and Cincinnati. Not long after, while performing in Cabaret, Jefferson put together an audition for a production of MDQ, as the Tony-winning role of Jerry Lee Lewis intrigued him. He was cast and performed in nine productions of that show leading to his creation of an original musical, Jerry Lee Lewis vs. Jerry Lee Lewis, debuting just prior to the pandemic at Playhouse Stage Co. He performs with big bands across the country with his fresh arrangements of rock and roll tunes.
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Don Farrell* is happy to reprise his role of Mr. Samuel Cornelius Phillips since ATI’s 2016 and 2018 productions of MDQ. He has professional theatre credits that include Off-Broadway, International and National Tours, Las Vegas, Regional productions, and guest soloist concerts with major national symphonies. His credits include eight world premieres and well over 100 production credits. As Founder and Principal of Crossroads Entertainment, LLC, he has created and performed in critically acclaimed shows All the Way: A Frank Sinatra Tribute and One Voice: the Music of Manilow at venues and theatres across the nation. A graduate of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, he is the Artistic Director and Co-Founder of Actors Theatre of Indiana and is a Board member of the Carmel International Arts Festival.
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James Gallardo was born in White Plains, N.Y., and raised in the Central Coast of California. He graduated from California Polytechnic University earning a BA in Music studying classical double bass in 2017. He has performed with many acclaimed artists, including Louie Ortega (Grammy Winner-Texas Tornados), Dallon Weeks (Grammy Nominated-Panic! At The Disco), Adam Benjamin (Grammy Nominated-Kneebody), Mic Gillette (founding member of Tower of Power), Terry Lawless (touring member of 22 time Grammy Award-winning rock band U2), and many others. He prides himself as a highly-acclaimed and accomplished international performer, artist, actor, musician and multi-instrumentalist, averaging 250 shows per year since 2014. He has been cast in movies such as Destination Wedding starring Keanu Reeves and Winona Ryder, plus many theater productions on land and for Creative Studios by Norwegian Cruise Line Corporation. He has performed in The All Night Strut, Man of La Mancha, Million Dollar Quartet, Always… Patsy Cline, Blazing Boots, Palace of Lights (Havana), and Choir of Man.
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Nathan Shew as Fluke is excited to return to the Actors Theatre of Indiana for his fifth production of Million Dollar Quartet. A native of Clinton, Ind., he currently resides in Chattanooga, Tenn. His credits as a pit musician include Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre, Chattanooga State Community College Theatre, Chattanooga Theatre Centre, the Appalachian Center for the Arts, and Muncie Civic Theatre. He also enjoys playing orchestral music and has performed with the Chattanooga Symphony Orchestra, Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Fort Wayne Philharmonic, Alabama Symphony and Huntsville Symphony. He earned his Masters and Bachelor of Music in Percussion Performance from Ball State University where he studied with Dr. Erwin Mueller and has studied independently on orchestral percussion and drum set with Craig Hetrick. When not playing music, he can be found running in the woods or sharing liquid joy at his craft beer shop, Sigler’s Craft Beer and Cigars in Chattanooga.
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Mandy McCarthy will play Dyanne. She is excited to be making her ATI debut. Favorite credits include Hello, Dolly!, Carousel, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. She graduated in 2014 with a degree in Voice Performance and, since moving to Indianapolis, has been recording demos for print music publishing and is a lifestyle model for various agencies throughout the Midwest.
*denotes membership in Actors Equity Association
Million Dollar Quartet will be performed for two nights only, Friday and Saturday, June 16 and 17, in the beautiful Palladium on the campus of The Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. Tickets are available at atistage.com or by visiting the Center for the Performing Arts website.