DARREN DAY TO STAR AS SAM PHILLIPS IN MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET

BARN THEATRE, CIRENCESTER. MONDAY 15 JUNE – SATURDAY 22 AUGUST

DIRECTED BY JONATHAN O’BOYLE, BOOK BY COLIN ESCOTT AND FLOYD MUTRUX

CEO and Artistic Director Iwan Lewis, Executive Director Liam McMullan, and the whole team at the Barn Theatre in Cirencester, are delighted to announce that Darren Day will be playing the role of ‘Sam Phillips’ in the Barn Theatre’s Million Dollar Quartet which returns for an extended run this summer between Monday 15 June – Saturday 22 August with a national press night on Thursday 18 June.

On the night of December 4th 1956, four men walked into a recording studio in Memphis and made musical history. Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Elvis Presley were brought together by pure chance for a jam session which would go on to shape the trajectory of rock ‘n’ roll music across the world. 

In the studio egos collide, promises are broken and dreams take shape. As the men navigate ambition, rivalry and fame they create the soundtrack that will define an era. Experience the classic songs – “Blue Suede Shoes”, “Fever”, “Walk The Line”, “Hound Dog” (and many more) – in the thrilling atmosphere of that once-in-a-lifetime event.

Darren Day first gained recognition after winning Opportunity Knocks in 1988, before achieving major West End success in 1993 as ‘Joseph’ in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat at the London Palladium. The role cemented his reputation as a leading musical theatre performer, which he later reprised across the UK and internationally. His stage career includes acclaimed performances in Les Misérables (Jean Valjean), Grease (Danny Zuko), The Rocky Horror Show (Frank N Furter), Chicago (Billy Flynn), Priscilla Queen of the Desert, We Will Rock You, Carousel, Beauty and the Beast, White Christmas, and Everybody’s Talking About Jamie. He has also appeared in productions such as Great Expectations, Copacabana, and Summer Holiday, the latter earning him ‘Performance of the Year’ and breaking box office records.

Further theatre highlights include The Last Session (winning Best Actor), Footloose, Mame, Muriel’s Wedding, and Close-Up – The Twiggy Musical. Alongside his extensive stage work, Darren has performed at the Royal Variety Performance and recorded the role of Jesus for the London cast album of Godspell at Abbey Road Studios. His career also spans music and television, with chart success in the 1990s and presenting roles on prime-time ITV shows including You Bet and Don’t Try This at Home, as well as numerous acting appearances across British television.

Million Dollar Quartet will be directed by Jonathan O’Boyle with a book by Colin Escott and Floyd Mutrux.

Additional cast and creative team will be announced soon.

Barn Theatre’s CEO and Artistic Director Iwan Lewis said, “I genuinely couldn’t think of more perfect casting. Sam Phillips is an iconic figure who played such a pivotal role in shaping the music industry, and to have this role played by Darren Day, who has himself taken on some of the most defining roles in musical theatre, feels incredibly fitting. Our audiences at the Barn are in for a real treat.”

The Barn Theatre is an award-winning producing-house in the heart of the Cotswolds, on a mission to inspire communities and champion the power of storytelling.