Full cast announced for Million Dollar Quartet

The full cast has been announced for Million Dollar Quartet, which opens at the Noel Coward Theatre 28 Feb 2011, following previews from 8 Feb - booking to 1 Oct 2011.

Joining previously mentioned Bill Ward (Sam Phillips), are Ben Goddard (Jerry Lee Lewis), Derek Hagen (Johnny Cash), Francesca Jackson (Dyanne), Robert Britton Lyons (Carl Perkins) and Michael Malarkey (Elvis Presley).

Also in the cast are Justin Brett (Alternate Johnny Cash), Matthew Empson (Jerry Lee Lewis at certain performances), Kevin Mains (Elvis Presley at certain performances), Oliver Seymour-Marsh (Carl Perkins at certain performances), Gez Gerrard (Jay Perkins), Adam Riley (Fluke), Steven Bor, Sharon Clancy.

Million Dollar Quartet is inspired by the actual event that took place on 4 December 1956 at Sun Records in Memphis when Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis came together to make music and ended up making history. Features over 20 of the greatest rock 'n' roll, gospel, R&B and country hits.

The musical has book by Colin Escott and Floyd Mutrux, originally conceived by Floyd Mutrux.

It is directed by Eric Schaeffer, designed by Derek McLane, lighting by Howell Binkley, sound by Kai Harada. Musical arrangements and supervision Chuck Mead

Produced in London by Relevant Theatricals, John Cossette Productions, American Pop Anthology, John Gore, Thomas B. McGrath, James L. Nederlander, Joseph Smith and Michael McCabe.

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.

Robert Britton Lyons (Carl Perkins) is making his West End debut in Million Dollar Quartet. He made his Broadway debut playing 'Carl Perkins' in Million Dollar Quartet at the Nederlander Theatre, the role he created and has played in all previous productions of the show. Michael Malarkey (Elvis Presley) is making his West End debut in Million Dollar Quartet. He was born in Beirut, Lebanon and raised in Yellow Springs, Ohio. He trained at LAMDA and made his professional stage debut in Laurie Sansom's productions of Eugene O'Neill's Beyond The Horizon and Tennessee Williams' Spring Storm at the Royal & Derngate in Northampton, which transferred to the National Theatre. Ben Goddard (Jerry Lee Lewis) played 'Joe Gillis' in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Sunset Boulevard and 'Arnaud du Thil' in Martin Guerre, both directed and staged by Craig Revel Horwood at the Watermill Theatre in Newbury. Sunset Boulevard transferred to the West End's Comedy Theatre. Derek Hagen (Johnny Cash) London theatre credits include ENRON, directed by Rupert Goold; Carousel, directed by Lyndsay Posner; Gone With the Wind, directed by Trevor Nunn and Wonderful Town.