Tuesdays with Corti: MDQ Day One

Rehearsals began for Paramount’s Million Dollar Quartet​ yesterday, and I’m happy to report we had a great first day.

In all honesty, it’s hard to write about how good things are here with all the trouble going on nationally. (The abhorrent swastikas in the news bring a bone chilling relevance to our upcoming production of Cabaret​.) While we’re all feeling the weight of this madness, I approached our start on MDQ with a heaviness in my heart in addition to the nervous excitement of seeing the full company together for the first time. I do realize the privilege experienced here to be creatives at work and am ever grateful for that lift it gives us to help us be the best of who we are. Same goes for our audience. MDQ is an escape to a place where this “fabulous four” are creating their own new sound and to this day has a way with making a person feel good! Real good, baby!

Here we are at Day Two, sitting in rehearsal just after a table session with Elvis Presley’s girlfriend, “Dyanne,” played by Courtney Mack and understudy Jessie Pinnick. It’s very important to this production that the women know we’re representing a strong woman in this only female character in the play – and interestingly the only fictional character. Choices will be made, and I’m full of admiration of these ladies seeing the potential of where this character can take us, holding her own as a musician among this room full of guys. Revelatory and some fun!

We discussed each of the characters yesterday, one to one, face to face at the table yesterday with each of the men in the cast,

and I have to tell you, I’m blown away by how deeply these guys feel about what they’re doing and who they’re playing.

 

The first thing this cast did on their break after greetings and introductions yesterday was grab their instruments and start jamming! No one asked! And it was just thrilling!

This “can’t wait to start playing” enthusiasm impressed the heck out me. Frankly, its everything I could hope for and endorses how right we got this group!

 

I’m sitting here now listening to them working through instrumentally, and I can’t stop foot tappin’ and head boppin’, goodness gracious, it’s gonna be a fun show!

Love & thanks,

Jim