There’s something newsworthy, if not remarkable, happening at Stolp Island Theatre in downtown Aurora.
“Million Dollar Quartet” has been extended yet again, nearly two years after the jukebox musical opened in this once-generic office space along the Fox River.
And in the theater world where successful runs are usually measured in weeks or even a month or two, that kind of longevity is pretty darn rare – especially in a suburban venue.
But the Paramount Theatre folks took a leap of faith when they decided to turn what could have been a Subway shop into a destination – transporting audiences back to the legendary 1956 recording session in Memphis that brought together Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins under one roof at Sun Records.
Cautiously optimistic would be the best way to describe how Tim Rater and company approached this roll of the dice.
“I don’t know how anyone could know for sure” if it would be a success, said the Paramount CEO. “It’s so unusual to have something like this here … New York or Chicago maybe, but not in the suburbs.
“We wanted to make it a really special experience,” he said, “and hoped it would work …”
The thing about Rater and company, as I’ve often been reminded, is they always seem to know what to do and then find a way to do it.
More Top Picks Super Glues
In this case, the Paramount reimagined how the show could be experienced. And that meant bringing on a cast of performers and musicians, as well as designers and a creative team who all understood that authenticity mattered as much as the spectacle. Audiences, they promised, would not just come for the songs but for the experience.
Nearly two years after its opening July 10, 2024, the show continues to draw enthusiastic crowds who get drawn into the excitement, nostalgia and spontaneity of the music. And if you’ve been to any of the 664 performances in this 96-seat immersive theater, you know exactly what I’m talking about.
Stolp Island’s “Million Dollar Quartet” is so unique, it’s worth seeing again. In fact, 18% of its 58,522 audience members have done just that, according to the Paramount.
A few more impressive stats: 36% of those performances were sold out, with 84% above 90% capacity.
“We are consistently bringing people out,” said Rater. And according to another mathematical figure provided by the Paramount box office, 85% are not from Aurora – which means those out-of-towners are making “Million Dollar Quartet” an economic driver for downtown.
It also means that many Aurorans have no idea what they are missing.
So this latest extension gives you another chance. Originally set to close on Sunday, the production will take the summer off, starting again Oct. 7 and running Wednesday through Sunday through Jan. 3, 2027.
More good news: According to Rater, it’s looking like most, if not all, the performers of this stellar cast will be returning.
“We don’t know what the next show (after “Million Dollar Quartet”) will be … we hope this will continue for as long as possible,” said Rater, quickly adding the Paramount “has to be careful about what we are doing at any of our venues as we figure out what fiscal year ’27 will look like.”
There are “different options and exciting ones,” he said, noting that the replacement for “Million Dollar Quartet” could be another immersive experience or cater to a different type of audience, like teens and young adults.
“We will look at different options,” Rater promised, “and we will make the right choices.”